Skyrim: The World Of Legends
by EagleEarth
Summary: Bria Julie Fowler is ordinary young woman living in a suburb of Chicago and secretly wishing for even one change to occur in her life. No one ever told this game addict to watch what you're wishing for and so in the one particular night she finds a gateway to the land that is almost too familiar. (Give it read - might not be as usual as you think!) #MaleDragonborn
1. Mistake or a Right thing?

_(Updated completely)_

 **Helloooow possible readers and thanks for clicking! =) As an lost and found again author I dont have much to say other than If you wan't to view the whole cover picture of my story in all details, here is a link to a free picture hosting page** (in parts, just take away the _ marks) **Have a nice reading moment!**

 ** ___** ** _aijaa._com/_XMPOka_**

* * *

Pitch black night hovered around the world at that exact moment, when I stepped outside of my door frame holding a leash in my hand.

At least it was as much pitch black as it could have been with all those city lights around and cool, fresh air blew across the quiet yards and cars could be heard somewhere far away. It was slightly cold, my arms shivered giving me chills and my loyal German shepherd Buddy strutted alongside me with paws skipping over dry road - I yawned while rubbing my probably reddish eyes.

It's not that, that I would have been crying though, it just happens when you are playing video games all night for a change. It was weekend after all. Yay freedom, and the reason why I was outside in the wee hours walking my dog was that I had to give him a chance to pee sometimes. When you are drowning yourself in the screen fighting dragons, making prophecies real and stuff you tend to forget these boring normal life duties, that are constantly pushing themselves in front of your way of life.  
And yes, it sure was _a way of life,_ not just a hobby or a thing to spend time with. To be clearer Skyrim was the way of life and my first and only love. I mean damn, how many times you get something happening in real life? Can't a woman have her addictive obsession as well?

I wore my usual white spring jacket on top of red collar shirt with half sleeves, black leggings for the lazy day behind me and basic sneakers which I had thrown to my feet. The intention was to just quickly turn around a corner and slip back to my warm house, but constant waiting for my dog to take a piss was way too long. Buddy just focused on smelling the ground and I let frustrated sigh escape my mouth.

"C'mon Bud. Pee already! we haven't got all night"

Murmuring to myself I gave him some more room to wander, but in the middle of an impatient standing and walking in circles, I soon noticed how he suddenly froze with perked ears. Buddy stared intensely the nearest neighborhood on the other side of the road with hypnotizing, fixed eyes and It got my attention for a while but even with narrowed eyes I saw absolutely nothing back there. Instead I noticed how thick blanket of clouds removed themselves away from the moon somewhere far in horizon, glooming over the view.

Just when I was about to lose my wits and drag him back with an angry complaint Buddy huffed once and before I knew, the pain in my shoulder remarked that the end of the leash was running from me straight across the car way. Those stunned brains of mine just watched the dog growling and barking like a maniac and fast as lightning he bolted shamelessly into other people's yards and gardens. What's going on?!

With really inappropriate thoughts, I began the desperate chase to get my pet back.  
"Buddy! Buddy come back! Back! _God dammit_ , what's wrong with that dog? _Buddyyyy_!"

Great. The old lady in my neighborhood just loves loud run-away dogs in the middle of a night. I tried to run as fast as I could, but somehow the dog just kept going and my brains screamed not to lose sight of him, what on earth is he chasing on anyway? The last thing I wanted to do here was capturing the running animal or jumping over the flower benches, but I continued calling him out. Obviously without any success since he didn't listen. At all.

So we ran to the right.

We ran to the left.

We ran in circles.

Minutes passed. Too much fast enough my calf muscles were killing me, my lungs popped and my heart was making its way up to my throat which was dry and sore. And the stupid mutt just barked, not giving me a break at all.  
"Why are you like that Buddy? For goodness sake I can't _stand_ you!" I screamed and wondered why no one is cursing at me already. Catching my breath I gave up for a moment, completely swearing for Buddy and his weird crazy seizure, since he had never ran away from me like this. Still my eye managed to notice how he finally turned between couple of wooden houses and I jogged after him, fearing he'd go on the road again.

Then I noted something. Was there some kind of light? I clearly now saw a faint, white gleam between the darkness and thought that this was my doom. Someone most likely came to check what is this disturbing fooling around. Then I'd just get thousands of thread letters for letting a pet rampage here in such a manner. Wait? Didn't Buddy just run towards him?

"Catch the dog please, catch him!" I screamed for whoever was there with a flash light, while still following the growls. Geez, someone really had a massive flashlight since it was so bright and big when approached. Could there be some kind of construction site or something? But then I didn't hear any vehicles though.

Better to find out and when I turned around the corner I decided…

…that this was the weirdest moment of my entire life. My mouth was opened, ready to ask if someone caught Buddy but there was no construction site. There were no persons, no cars and definitely no flashlights of any kind. There was only this huge white, swirling rounded thing levitating above the ground. Buddy was right next to it growling and slowly I reached his collar, but my gaze and thoughts were just in this appearance in front of me. I stared at it. I stared at it without blinking, like my life depended on it.

Trying to find some logical explanations to this led only to nothingness since there weren't any. Throw the explanations to hell! What is this? A portal of some kind? All its inner colors brought in my mind just a _portal._ If anyone has been watching enough movies, it is me and I know this is something huge.

" _Stay!_ " I commanded with silent voice my dog, who was afraid of approaching the shimmery thing any further but I wasn't. My stomach threw itself upside down shaking. What would happen if I touch it? Bria seriously: you have to touch, don't miss it. What if it closes up and you can never know what it was? It might be important.  
I took couple of steps closer until the white mist filled my vision and my mixed feelings got together. Anyone would be stupid to not investigate, seriously you always wanted exciting and this was way more than that. Normally I should have been worried hell over my dog, my house and everything but the truth was that all those seemed little things over this one. Stop thinking useless stuff and just do it, go ahead.

I finally slammed my hand to the so called surface of the white swirlpool and experienced something I didn't quite expect – a strong pull kicked me off my feet and I screamed like a tortured cat, eyes closed and hands swinging around. It felt like free fall for a couple of seconds, which got me terrified but that was until the hopefully imaginary falling ended. After I started to recover and the ringing in my ears calmed down, I found a collection of dirt, sticks, grass and stones under my now aching arse. When I finally dared to open my eyes the houses were nowhere to be found.

Actually the city was nowhere to found, no Buddy, no shiny levitating thingies – just me and the green deep, deep forest even if it was the most beautiful forest I've ever seen. I was freaked out anyway, what just happened? Where am I? Did I just do this?

Couple of minutes I sat confused on the ground until I stood up baffled and shaking while starting to investigate my surroundings.

Sun shone right through the leaves of tall oak trees and the birds flew around in the sky, that was visible at some parts. I made out the smell of fresh soil, mushrooms and plants so strong, that it was almost overwhelming. Like the nature itself would be pure nature, no dirty litter lying around and the most awesome part: everywhere seemed to be life. I couldn't make out many creatures, but I had a feeling of being watched. Dried leaves crushed under my sneakers as I took couple steps forward, only to figure out if I could see something revealing.

 _Wow_ , it actually looked like many countries I know, but still not quite anything that much. Also at the same time I had this strange feeling that this wasn't just any ordinary place at all.

"Buddy?" I spoke aloud just in case but got no response, which made me clear that I was in fact alone. Alone in the middle of a wilderness, but then for real the _thing_ was indeed a portal. A FREAKIN' PORTAL! I don't know if I should have panicked but I decided to be the person against the rules, I got excited. " _Exploration time Bria! No distress in here yet. Find out first where we are"_ I whispered mysteriously to myself _"_

Clapping my hands together I stumbled forward and crossed the trees grinning on my way. Here we go right? Right? No question and since I was completely out of directions, I decided to just travel straight in the hopes of getting somewhere and straight was the direction I kind of landed face towards. It felt like a good thing to do and although there lingered many unanswered questions in my mind, I could spare the time for them later.

One thing was extremely weird though, in here it appeared to be the middle of the day going on. Different time zone perhaps? Still it wasn't so horribly hot - not cold but not hot either, a decent warmness covered the air but it wasn't too much so I was happy about my jacket. Speaking about the air I felt like it'd be lighter to breath, which felt funny. Could I be somewhere high maybe? (Not the drug)

I slowly traveled forwards, constantly side tracked by little things like odd looking plants and noticed how I came towards an opening, where the trees changed to thin birches and few spruces showed themselves in between. Terrain was surprisingly hard and rocky to walk so I needed my balancing skills more than I'd have liked to, when I had to dodge and climb small bumps, roots and rocks.

Everything seemed calm for some time but soon I jumped sideways, startled by a fox running past me with speed making me think he didn't want to end up eaten by something. I watched curiously after it since I've never seen a fox so close up and when I was just about to continue with little less excitement than earlier, this safe feeling environment quickly turned into something else when blood freezing roar sliced the air.

The roar in question was something that I couldn't recognize at all and scared the shit out of me. My heart started racing. My muscles froze and the blood in my body escaped somewhere away from my hands and feet while I spun around trying to find the source. The roar carried far into the forest and was followed by another lower one, and it was very close. The catch was, this couldn't be just an ordinary animal, it was a huge, threatening, scary roar of anger and I was scared for my life without being able to move. I listened so hard my ears ached, releasing short, shaky breaths.

Sudden realization came over me that the lack of other animals nearby showed itself around. No birds sung inside the trees and that particular silence became a sign where I knew I was in real danger.

I admit I could have ran. I could have ran somewhere else but I wasn't sure why I didn't. The fear paralyzed me and I jumped again for another loud growl even closer, _no_ don't close your eyes! Is it a bear? No it isn't, I was sure I have heard the sound before but how could I have? It couldn't be what I thought. There was no way. The answer came soon enough when I nearly peed my pants: the plants all around cracked in a distance and something gray approached among the trees. Something gray and fucking huge with three soulless black eyes and horrible teeth. I smelled it. I smelled the rotten flesh from its breath and it sniffled the air with two large breaths and kept grunting.

It came closer and I was almost hyperventilating with my eyes wide.  
The thing, the predator in front of me was a troll.

A troll!

I backed few steps and cracked a branch which made tears climbing to the corner of my eyes, as its full attention darted on me. The thing was overall way taller than me, sharp deadly claws coming out of its hands and fangs made for ripping the flesh from bones. Panic rose from somewhere deep in me when I thought my guts being ripped off by the monster in front of me, and kept walking backwards even more.

They always scared me in the game but like this, this was unbearable. I was going to die.

It took only one more savage hunting roar and while he spread his hairy limbs, I knew to do the wisest thing I could manage – I screamed. Screamed so high my own ears couldn't take it and then I was on my way. Which way then? The opposite way.

I didn't even think I could ever run that much fast when I did back then. Even the hardness of the terrain didn't matter, I jumped and jumped some more, ran and jumped and dodged. The fear of death banged my chest so hard that all I could do was just to go forward, not even properly seeing where. I wouldn't even look behind me, not even once. Was he still there? Who would know, but the only thing I heard was the beat of my heart and air in my ears as I kept running.

Sudden downhill surprised me but I hastily regained balance after stumbling and pushing myself blindly through some foliage and continued but then, well I couldn't do that.

Without any warning out of nowhere I felt the impact force hitting my front side as I crashed into something so hard, that the sand under my shoes slipped and I fell backwards on the ground with a squeal mixed in faint word of _woaaaah._ It took me couple of seconds to realize that the thing I collided with actually had given in some, but for now I was focusing on rolling on the ground while rubbing my body parts that actually hurt. Oh that'll leave some _good bruises_ at least!

" _Uuuh_ , did I ran into a brick wall or something?" I groaned and when I finally opened my eyes there was a shadow in front of me. A shadow. Of a person.

Quickly rising my confused eyes up I figured out there was a man wearing what definitely had to be a studded armor and the horned iron helmet. I cannot go wrong on this, I recognized it immediately. Large fur belt which was part of the whole thing held various weapons and pockets in separate strings and he was looking straight at me with little annoyed or rather surprised expression on his face – couldn't tell properly since his features were mostly covered. _Why would someone combine the light and heavy armor_ , oh sorry I gotta stop being a nerd specially when this was real and I laid on the ground with my dusty clothes.

So much I figured out of his appearance that he might have been as well a one big muscle. His arms looked like they were carved out of the stone itself, his dark brown hair was maybe medium length by judging how I saw the tips under the helmet plus a short beard rounded his chin. Wow wait, why he seemed to be so familiar to me? I wasn't even thinking correctly anymore after being almost chased down. This was all nuts.

Wait could it be _it_ again?

There was this awkward silence when we just stared at each other as he kept his hand readied on a sword but didn't draw it, my own face now changing between all the emotions I went through here. They are really hard to describe when I realized many things at once. This _man_ was wearing clearly an armor from Skyrim, I saw the humongous snowy mountains somewhere far because now the rather open road led my eyes to them. Trees hummed in wind, yellowish leaves fell down on the bumpy road and me, I gasped for air as sweat drops glued my hair on my forehead but I didn't care.

The one big thought here, I just met a troll (I meant the creature, not insulting this guy) so I am in the Skyrim! Tamriel? Nírn? There was no other choice. The second big thought: The troll was still out there, but I didn't get far on the line before something finally happened.

"This must be one of the strangest moments in my entire life", I heard the man saying plainly with his quite deep sounding, a bit raspy voice and my first reaction to this was the same stupid staring as before, of course until I got my things together. Barely. Oh by the way thanks for helping me up and shit.  
"You just said it..." I puffed still in surprise and started to climb up on my feet while gathering strange looks about my outfit I assumed. Afterwards I totally jumped when this guy just stepped further catching my attention by turning me to face him and I felt slightly threatened which made me take few steps back. Was this the famous -into-the-frying-pan- moment?

"And what exactly makes you run into me in the middle of a damn forest?" He made it sound like it would have been my fault and well it kind of was, but then again why is he dangerously sounding not-amused? I mean it in the way that I'd think I'm probably ending up as a corpse if I'm not clearly explaining why I happened to so severely insult _mister Brickwall_ here, of course _on a purpose._ After that I remembered again that I was being chased or did he give up? What if he was still there wandering around? And do trolls have a good sense of smell? Okay now you can panic again.

I glanced back to the woods feeling a real uncomfortable and pointed that way. "There - there was _a_ Troll! And I seriously mean it, it chased me and I actually thought I'm going to die but there was a troll and if I'm not wrong it's coming this way. _Are you even listening_?!"

Still somewhat panting I found myself almost yelling at his face and now my legs started to feel powerless and squishy out of all that running when the adrenaline rush settled down. "A troll you say? Of course there was" the man chuckled and turned away waving the topic in the air. Wait, was he leaving? I stunned myself again, but this time it was his attitude. Outrageous!

" _What!_ What do you think you're doing, you can't do that, excuse me come on, I know what I saw! You think I'm running like hell just for fun?" storming again in front of him I blocked his way and crossed my arms with annoyance which turned into a scream when something was pushing itself out of the bushes. Once again I did the cleverest thing and ended up hiding behind his back just in case.

"Oh my god, it's coming do something, why are you just _standing_ there!?" More bushes moved and he just watched as this would be some kind of show: sometimes at me, sometimes at the forest. "You are one stupid thing man. Are you deaf? IT'S A…." The thing popped finally up and I had this terrified expression on me. It quickly changed in to a shock.

"It's a goat"

My shock changed into a realization as I was actually hanging from his arm and I had to let go rather quickly while staring at the fluffy animal with white fur and horns.  
"It's a goat…" I said again in disbelief and started to look like a fish on dry land when I pointed first the animal and this dude around me. He was grinning for his life and looked like he'd like to burst out laughing.

"I, but I swear there was a troll. _What the..._? There was a troll!" My hasty explaining fell to the wind.

"You have some trolls there woman"

"I'M NOT CRAZY" I yelped in frustration and did wild gestures with my hands while looking angry but soon turned to look at the goat eating grass a couple feet away.  
"What is this sorcery? Oh, now I know!" I wondered for a moment. "It's a magic goat!" I tried to walk to the animal but as it would be normal, it fled when I got too close and the moment of silence fell again. I coughed into my fist. Did I ruin it already?

"Yeaah…" I muttered and bit my lip. "Well that was random" I heard how he hummed in amusement as I noticed again how the man started walking, not saying a word until he got past me. Why is he like that?

"You know, I don't believe there are any trolls around here, so good luck with that"

"Wait, where are you going? You can't just leave besides exactly _who are you_ anyway, I feel like I've seen you before" that was extremely stupid thing to say to a stranger, but I was done with his ignorance and jogged forward trying to touch his shoulder. Instead the thing turned another way round since now I felt like I started to really piss him off, when he spun around and in the blink of an eye pinched my arm into his grab. The man came closer and looked at me straight into my eyes so intensely that it got the speech out of me.

"Look. I don't think we have met, I never forget a face and especially a person when they are wearing something that strange. And I also think I will leave as I want to. I don't know who you are and why are you stupid enough to be here without any weapons, but that isn't my problem unless you _really_ want to make it one"

It was like we were locked in that position, but the difference was that this was the only time I really paid attention to his eyes and that made my guts turn around. They were blue, so deep and full of silent strength that I almost could see the soul swirling in them. Suddenly I felt like he could see my entire life just by looking at me and it was slightly ripping me off of my defenses, while my hands turned cold and sweaty for a moment without any particular reason. Lowering my head in defeat I still kept looking at him just because I didn't want to give him the joy of turning me down. Even if I'd want to I couldn't remove my eyes from the man since without even him answering to my question I knew for certain who this guy was.

In the moment my brains still worked and I was sure I heard the voices chanting in my head.

 _Ahrk fin kel lost prodah,_  
 _Do ved viing ko fin krah,_  
 _Tol fod zeymah win kein meyz fundein_  
 _Alduin, feyn do jun,_  
 _kruziik vokun staadnau, voth aan bahlok wah diivon fin lein_

He must have read it from my face that I knew.  
"Oh my god. You, you are…" I didn't mean to stammer but it was too much. "I know _who_ you are! You are _Jesus Christ_ \- I MEAN NO, no, no you're not Jesus I meant-"

"The Dragonborn"

I ripped myself apart from his grib and tried to concentrate. Was that hint of a smile that flashed on him? No, it was more of a twitch in the corner of his mouth but it didn't hold any emotions in it. I guessed my reaction seemed to be too familiar and it wasn't hard to believe either. Also you aren't telling me that first I am pulled into a portal that leads me to Skyrim and if that's not enough I happen to literally crash on a person in the middle of nowhere and he is the hero of my life. The One I've wished to meet the past years of my life, he wasn't even real and now well, he was real. Right then and there.

If my eyes just could create a shining white light coming from the heaven on him, they would do it just now.  
Suddenly I turned my back on the man, I had to take a moment for myself. _Tell me this is a dream okay! Okay, breathe what if I just fell asleep on my computer again yes that would be logical. But no I'm awake, he's the Dragonborn!_

I spun back to him and tried to collect myself. Why I was so childish? I was supposed to be an adult, but the fangirl inside me just didn't give up and I nearly burst in to tears. Holding those back as best as I could, I let a wide smile make its way to my face. It was the kind of Now I Can Die Happy smile that reached the every corner of me but it lasted a little while when I realized how out of place I was there and swiped the tuck of hair away before getting serious again. I couldn't start being like this, it was all real.

Even then after a moment, the man just watched me and if he doubted my sanity he didn't show it.

"You think I'm crazy do you?"

"I have seen worse"  
I really didn't know if that was a compliment.

"I just - this is too much messed. let's take this again" I sighed deeply and let my gaze drift elsewhere.  
"My name is Bria. If I may ask yours?"

"Gair" I nodded as an answer.  
"Where are you going right now?"  
"I don't know"

Right, maybe I had to expect that. It would make sense that as an adventurer he didn't always have a plan where to go (I'd imagine) _or_ then he was lying to me, which seemed highly compatible option. I could tell he didn't trust me, but who would? I am actually no one here, a random human. To me this situation started to light over, not in a good way. I was stuck in Skyrim's wilderness with nothing, I wouldn't make a night in here and the thought of that made me unsure of everything. I don't even know where in the map I'm exactly in and _Gair_ was the one with few words coming out of his mouth.  
"Take me with you", I suddenly snapped and the man shifted from his place with a grim face.

"No"

It was like a bitch slap on my face.  
" _No_?! What, you can't just..-" I wondered how many times I've already said that  
"Oh, I can!"

Now I felt like bitch slapping my own face and for the third time ran him out and tried for my best to come over with my anger. I wouldn't get anywhere by screaming at him, he'd just keep going to be a stubborn cow. "Please, just..." He shoved me to the side and kept going.  
"No. You are absolutely no use to me. I can see you can't even fight, and would only slow me down. I don't want anyone to drag behind, is that clear?"

What are those words even meaning? Now it felt like he'd punched my face with bare fist and I didn't really know him, but are you sure that this guy was the Dragonborn? Really, because the only thing I saw was a man that didn't care about anything. What is wrong with him? What is wrong with everything? I closed my fists and bit my teeth together, I am so not ready to give in. I would follow him even if it meant he'd ignore me, I had no choice!

"Come back here! I know very well I suck, but would you just listen to me for _once_?" I screamed after him and took again a sprint forward. I noticed how my voice grew more and more tender, I couldn't help it but tried to calm myself.

"Just, just _listen_ please! I'am really far away from home, I have never been in" I took a breath. "...around here which might be obvious. I also have no clue how I even got here, I'm lost _._ Seriously I..." I swallowed. He really did make me feel like a guilty here and all I wanted was just to get somewhere. "I can't fix that fact that I might be a completely useless as you'd put it but I also don't wish _to die_ and I'm just asking you to help me"

What ever happened to the hero. A certain desperation attached within my voice, when I thought I didn't want to fight anymore. We had moved a quite the distance now and stood face to face where I managed to stop him once more. Gairs eyes flashed strangely for a moment but then after the depressing silence filled with only the sounds of nature he surprisingly spoke, but it seemed like he'd be making the hardest decision of the century.

"Very well then. But I have conditions"

"First, you will be on your way in the _first city_ we come across. Second, you'll have to keep up or otherwise you are dropping off where ever you might end up dead. And third, you will do everything _exactly_ as I say – no wandering around! And If I see you doing anything suspicious enough, that's going to end there"

The man's speech was harsh, as annoyed as before, possibly even cold. It made me think that there was nothing good coming from this, but I had a feeling I would not get a better deal so I take what I can - and give nothing back in that matter. The last words of the ending made me think that it probably might have meant something far more worse than just _dropping me off._

"Understood"

"It better be" he muttered and after that came the last time that he started moving again so I took that as a confirmation and went along. This would probably be the most exhausting day in my life, it was only a day here and _why_ I thought that we wouldn't stop walking soon enough. I officially made a promise that I'm not ever laughing again to those videos in You Tube which are joking with the followers of _Dovahkiin_.

Did I mention too, I hate walking long distances? Well I intent to keep myself in this now. Just relax Bria, It's going to be fine.

 _maybe…how the hell I'm going to even get back to home? Do I want to get back? Is there actually anything left of me to go back?_ _I guess that didn't matter now. Not yet._


	2. Braindead Mudcrab

Three days.

Three days I have been doing nothing but walk, walk and walk if we don't have to count the moments I actually ran from few casual wild animal. All those times Gair would just kill them without even putting any real effort in it and we started to have a regular pattern in our traveling formation: he walked quietly ahead, sighing in mild annoyance while I took couple seconds too much to climb over a fallen tree or cross a path.

I only wanted to watch over my clothes or at least what was left of them and then tried to _keep up_ with him, which wasn't easy - not when you look like wreck, leggings covered with torn parts, muddy shoes and dirty hair.  
My body was full of bruises and before white, now tainted jacket didn't really keep the cold out properly, so sleeping was almost impossible, uncomfortable and horrible in all those ways you could imagine. Tiredness, slight paranoia of the last nights bandit collide and severe aching of my limbs wasn't helping at all, but the thing that crowned all of this? Gods know it had to be Gair himself.

He is the biggest son of a bastard that I've ever met. Like always he rarely spoke anything but when he did, it was probably something that insulted me or either an order to do something no matter what the situation was. Even then he never bothered to ask nicely.  
I haven't checked in a while but last time I noticed how my feet were full of blisters and I still felt them, talking about that few of them broke yesterday. Oh the pain. This is what happens when you suddenly have to _exercise_ who knows how many miles without being used to it and as you may know the terrain wasn't exactly the straightest. My thigh muscles told me that one.

Maybe the biggest mistake in this was that I never talked to him back. I felt like if I did, I would probably start to cry out of all the negative feelings I had and that wasn't something I'd do in front of him. These were the causes of the setting I was forced to be in, it was exhausting in a both physical and mental ways and still during most of the hours I bit my inner cheek and took it in. Even when the desperation grew sometimes almost too much to handle, I slowly started to miss my home. And Buddy and his smooth nose sniffing at my face.

If I wouldn't have touched that portal I would be sleeping in my own comfy bed but I couldn't regret anymore nor take it back, what's done is done.

So now thinking about it, wasn't this what I would have certainly wanted few days ago? Yes, it was basically my dream. Now when I got the whole Skyrim under my feet this whole situation felt a lot less dreamy than I thought and I wasn't so sure anymore if I liked to be here. Everything had to be so hard that enjoying those less important nice things like views, which were still time to time breath taking, became almost meaningless. The only thing that concerned me here right now was survival.

I had no clue where I went wrong.  
I knew he was the Dragonborn although I never saw any real proof from it yet but why would he _hate_ me so much? Was he this big brat always with everyone or am I somehow exception? There was no other word for it. I had kept silent just because I thought he would maybe show himself otherwise later but no, this was getting worse and only thing I could think was _why?_

My nerves were stretched to hell and back, the traveling formation had not changed a bit for now. It was already beginning of the evening and I knew that soon he would be searching for a place to camp down if not already. The area around us had gradually changed to be more rocky and closer to the mountains - one was on our left. The forest spread wide everywhere like always but in here it wasn't so thick anymore and it made me wonder where we might be: surroundings seemed vaguely familiar to me more or less, but I bet they all would. After all I still couldn't specify the nature to the specific location and exactly this place lacked any huge land marks.

The road was somewhere down from us since we didn't really go along with it recently and I proceeded after the man, uphill trying to find right footage amongst the stones residing on the narrow path. He stopped for a moment and turned to look at me.

"Watch where you step. That fall will break more than few of your bones depending on how you land" he stated and went forward again when I glared at him with my eyes shooting daggers. I tried to be patient. At least I wanted to try but as time passed I couldn't help but feel bitter towards this guy. I expected...I expected something different and being in here felt like I would've been let down.

Normally the height of this small cliff would have been too much for me but I was too worn out to care anymore. After the first day I stopped squealing for the climbing and just went for it - Gair appeared to find something in front and waited for me to come up until I saw it too.  
It was moderate stone platform in the side of the cliff which would be quite good cover from the winds and my mind screamed straight hallelujah to the heavens, when I understood that we would be staying here.

I wonder how he even spotted it from back there.

"You still have the wood?" He questioned plainly with his back pointed to me and suddenly I recalled that I was carrying some branches around. How could I forget, geez I wonder. As the answer I threw them to the middle and folded my arms, when I dropped like a sack of potatoes to the ground and leaned on the hard stone. The hardness didn't matter though, just getting my ass down somewhere was feeling like luxury.

"You're welcome" I growled and closed my eyes.  
"Where are we anyway? You still haven't told me. I find it rather disturbing if you _don't know_ like you have a habit of doing. Besides we've been walking like five hours straight now, are we close to _anything_ yet?" I somehow sensed the atmosphere around tighten a little bit and heard him moving few feet judging by the steps.

"You haven't asked. We are in the hold of Falkreath. And it really seems that _you_ have the habit of complaining about everything, is it? You ever going to cut it off?!"

I flashed my eyes open and swore I saw red dots hovering around. How _DAR_ E he? After everything, after the silence I have kept out of respect he doesn't even deserve he decides to blame me for complaining _?_ My brains started to figuratively smoke and my fists clenched when the rage started to build up. I have been scratched, mocked, ordered around, ripped and treated like a piece of horker dung without any reason and I was finally getting enough of it.  
Who does he think he is? Is he really supposed to save the world? Does he even care about the world? I don't understand what the big problem here is and my bad feelings with the days of building it up got the better of me at last.

I know this situation. I _know_ what happens when you don't stand up to yourself and I wouldn't make that mistake anymore. I refuse to do it! That is my problem, I trust people to be good and then they usually prefer to prove me wrong or then I just have too high expectations. This time though I will do something about it. It was like the feelings fueling my actions gave me new kind of strength.  
Before these comments I would have just slopped to the ground without rising up before the morning but now it was all different.  
Gair, this time without his helmet - guess he took it off when I wasn't looking, turned to motionlessly watch me when I jumped up and stormed to him.

"You!" I pointed him with my finger, this time speaking with far more forceful voice than I'd ever dared to.

"I don't know what the actual fuck is going on in your mind, but I will not take this anymore. I am SICK of you treating me like I would be just some piece of damned trash in your way. You have been nothing but a disaster - _a freakin' son of a bitch_ and _I WILL_ say I'm ending it right here. Do you even know how frustrating that is, like the Skyrim itself wouldn't be hard enough you just have to make it hell! Where did you came out from? _Oblivion_?!"

"You agreed to -"

"No! That is not an excuse, don't give me that one. Shut your ass up, you're not interrupting me anymore. I don't give a single crap if you are the Dragonborn, to be honest I did expect a little bit more from you but no, you are just as nice as a _braindead mudcrab_!"

Served. I had no idea what I was saying right now. All the things just popped up to my mind and then I just blew everything out on an instant, whatever I had to figure out. While I intensely stepped forward towards him, he showed obvious annoyance and narrowed his eyes. Too bad I forgot to call him a milk-drinker, which would've been hella appropriate.  
"…You know what? I am officially done! You have exactly no right to act like an empty headed brat at me. Yea, that's what you are, a damn _queen of brats!_ I'm not playing your game anymore, I have gotten my fair share of your bloody stupid ass attitude!"

Now I was standing just in front of his face and for the first time noticed our height difference, when I directed my eyes slightly up to stare straight at him. Tiny by tiny I started to feel my throat sore and tingly from all that screaming. If my eyes could shoot fire that would have happened at that moment and my breathing was fast and heavy. I didn't even wince backwards when the man took hold of my wrist and strongly squeezed it. I could tell I was eventually getting to him for good when he impatiently observed my face up and down, like he'd be deciding could it possibly be worth to Shout me out of the realm.

"Shut your god damn mouth woman or I will shut it for you" I heard him snarl behind his teeth and that phrase by a chance pushed straight to my feelings and in the moment of blind hatred I did the most unbelievable thing I could ever thing of, the very last one. I surprised myself as good as I did the man - I shoved my arm free and _slapped him_.

I could hear my palm hitting his cheek with a force and his head jerked a bit to the direction I had done it, otherwise it did nothing. Yet.  
Oh my Nine gods of Tamriel. I just bitch slapped _The Dovahkiin_. Right there I realized I had gone further than I should but I was way too furious to think about it.

Afterwards there was this strange frozen moment, when I was sure we both thought the exact same thing. What just happened?  
His amazing blue eyes slowly turned on me, this being the first time I saw some kind feeling in them. It turned out to be something near of a slight shock if you can say that about him, and I for sure had this wide-eyed expression going on as well. Regardless I had to be mad.  
Deciding for myself, I wouldn't stay to find out how thrilled he was for this tense, escalated moment to happen and basically stormed out with exaggerated gestures.

I needed some air and time away from him.

When I finally had made my way back to the real ground level from the rock with few casual almost-slips, I stayed anyway somewhere in the range of around three hundred feet (I still wasn't that stupid to go too far and wouldn't have even dared to. I knew well what kind of things lurk in Skyrims forests)  
Finally stopping on top of a small hill I laid down and sat there next to a lonely tree.  
The hill was a lot higher from the other side where I was watching and so it revealed to me the whole view and my eyes could see so far.  
I couldn't believe him! No one is telling _me_ to shut up, when I have something to say. Asshole.

Couple breaths in turned my anger down a bit after twenty minutes or so and soon I was able to focus on the orange sunset which painted the nature with all shades of yellow, red and gold. I was starting to feel like time itself would slow down.  
It was truly beautiful now but something there made me feel like it wasn't as pure for a sunset as it should've been, when small amount of mist formed somewhere closer to the open ground. The feeling was…gloomy?  
Then I pretty much realized that Gair said we were currently in the hold of Falkreath – yes that was it. This strange feeling that disturbed me, Falkreath was the _Graveyard City_ associated with Arkay the god of funerals and it was always gloomy and darkish in there.

I meant _here_ to be truthful while pondering the fact that the sun wasn't covered by clouds.  
I found soon enough myself thinking about the Divines. Did I believe in them? I was in Nírn after all and well the answer wasn't that hard: Yes I did.  
I knew for sure that Daedra exist so why wouldn't Divines and since Martin Septim saved pretty much everything from Mehrunes Dagon when he took the avatar of Akatosh. It was pretty clear. The heart blood of Dragon god of Time plus all that and I felt a little awe in me.

Though Divines were in Skyrim mostly the matter of belief I rather _knew_ them to actually be there, which led to the new questions related to me. What was the portal? Who opened it or did it open by itself? Why it opened right there in that time? Was it coincidence or not?  
A knot formed into my stomach, these thoughts were growing too big for me so I dropped them.  
I had no answers.

I only realized, what kind of advantage I could have here? It was like I thought only for the first time, that I pretty much knew what would happen here at least for the most parts. Where in the _story_ he was going right now? Or was there story at all, are things even going like in the game or is it different? Can it be different? Why couldn't it be this wasn't a game, this was life and everyone can make anything out of their decisions.

Sadly there was only one way to find out, to somehow stay in here or I mean to stay in touch with Gair. He was a total dickhead, but how on earth it could be all of him? It can't or can it? Although my feelings towards him were spiky I couldn't help but to think the whole legend of the Dragonborn, the predicted hero who would save the universe and the souls from being eaten by the…the World-Eater.

My heart skipped a beat. Gosh, Alduin is somewhere out there. _Alduin_ and the dragons. There started to be this small fire of curiosity in me because I wanted to know what the dragons actually looked like. I wanted to see with my own eyes and hear with my own ears, but at the same time a dark voice in me told that you don't want to do that unless there is no choice.  
Dragons were the matter of life and death: to wish to encounter them was an unwise thing to do. They were dangerous beasts that crushed the whole villages if they wanted to and well you can't spawn back if you die.

Somehow the thought of the First-Born of Akatosh was much scarier than it was before and to say scary was to put it mildly. A black ancient red eyed dragon, bigger from the others with a power that outmatches anything and an ability to summon fiery rocks down the skies! I shivered from the thought of seeing him and told myself to stop before I'd freak out. The adventurous or stupid part of me fangirled even him right now, but you got to stop. Alduin isn't going to give you an autograph and a fan picture with a hug!

I sighed and smiled a little at the same time. You know, think if I could just take a selfie and hashtag it in Instagram: #Alduin #WorldEater #BFF

Golden hour shone in the sky and for moments I just let my thoughts flow. Some birds left their nests and lonely deer jumped somewhere among the trees down the hill. Everything was calm and quiet and mountains threw darkening shadows around the plains.  
I turned my eyes to watch the stone tower which peak could be seen somewhere far and wondered what's in there. Mages? Bandits? Or nothing, just ruins. I almost felt the urge to investigate but I wasn't really qualified to do that which was kind of sad. I'd like to know how to fight and start collecting stuff from other robbers and bad guys - maybe non bad guys as well. Who knows there could be something rare.

In the evening the wind would turn colder.  
It blew from the mountains and there on the darker side of the horizon were already few dim stars visible even when the light was decent. I didn't know how long I'd been just sitting here but I felt the tiredness pressing my eyelids down, so I mentally startled when I heard the man speaking behind me. I didn't have an idea when did he get to me without noticing, sneak skill much? Like forty or something?

"That was quite a hit you did there" he calmly stated before arriving close to me. I once more got the hold of my offense so that I wasn't even able to recognize the weird changed tone in his voice. I huffed saying nothing and he moved beside me only to lean on the tree trunk mentioned before, I felt his eyes on my back.

"…And I think I might have deserved it" he kept going on with words that actually surprised me, wow where he was going with this? Still I didn't let my surprise to show him and fixed my sight somewhere else.

"Yes, you did"

Gair didn't get mad at my bragging. Instead he just went momentarily silent.

"And I am..." he paused momentarily "...pretty sure I have been a little too nasty for you"

"That's putting it mildly. You were a complete dick!"

"I admit that one. You are nothing but right Bria _._ I have done mistakes"

I raised my gaze at him and we examined each other briefly. I tried to read him and for my own amazement, I remarked on his face for once something else than strict coldness. It was hard to describe: he seemed moderately relaxed there but his eyes were somehow deep looking, even a little disturbed in a sad way.  
And the biggest thing again here was that he said my name. He had never done it before, not a single time. He said my name rather softly like he wouldn't want to ruin it.

Those other words that came out of him were said like they had problems of escaping his throat, like he'd have to really push them out and in my whole life I couldn't have imagined him talking like that. It was clear that for once he really didn't know what to say or if he knew he was hesitant or unwilling to express them aloud. I rose from my place and faced the guy looking straight.  
Somehow I couldn't be real angry anymore watching him to be like that. I mean I was, but then again I wasn't. Strange feeling. And I might have regretted that slap after all.

Realization stabbed my brains.

"Are you trying to _apologize_?" I carefully approached this sentence like I'd be walking on a thin ice, afraid it would break if I took the slightest misstep. I could swear I saw how he somehow looked relieved for a second and now there was the real hint of a smile coming across his lips.

"Maybe"  
I let a small chuckle come out of my mouth. It was really unnecessary but I couldn't help it since now he was the one looking out of place though he handled it well. Seriously, now I partially understood what kind of man he was. He was _the man_ type. Gair raised his eyebrows at me.  
"Now I know what's the problem here! You know I really should put you through this, you would deserve it after what you did with me" I rubbed my forehead. "…But fortunately I am not a cruel person, that would be torture. I'm still serious tho, stop being a jerk or I will smack you again"

He cleared his throat.

"Well, I hope the problem isn't a magic goat..."

As his phrase faded in mysterious way I couldn't believe he just said that. I stared at him for a moment watching how he dared to smirk at me couple of seconds and during this second both of us had a little fun, ayways he dropped it to be as awkward as it happened to be before.  
"We aren't even yet. I will forgive you if you can be something else as well than total idiot. Let's cut it"

Finally with these words I agreed to come back with him to the camp.

* * *

When the sun later on fell behind the horizon, darkness covered the area quickly leaving us to sit around our camp fire. Embers cracked occasionally but otherwise none of us hadn't spoken a word much after our quarrel earlier. I sat more or less comfortably on the edge of the cliff watching the clear night sky, drowning in my own thoughts until they were interfered.  
Gair pushed in front me a piece of bread with a slice of rabbit meat on top of it and to be honest it was the best thing I've ever seen. Without opposing this offer, I took it and started to munch in deep silence but unfortunately it didn't take me long to eat it. I was so hungry that if I'd have waited couple more hours I could literally faint.

Do you remember those times when your mother or your parents were maybe mad at you about something and then they started pulling out the cards like: _You have no idea what's it like to be really hungry!_

I'd hate to admit that they might have been right. I wasn't hungry, I was starving and it felt basically like dying but I realized that this was all about getting used to it. What would your body tell you when you suddenly stop eating like a horse and instead of every half an hour going to the fridge, you are eating two times in a day (not even huge amount) and massively increase your energy consumption by walking many hours straight or doing a little climbing.  
It beats the hell out of you and I wasn't feeling any better than in the past two days but I trusted that eventually I would. The only thing what concerned me was the possibility of the physical over exhaustion which would be completely absurd concept to the guy sitting about few feet away from me.  
Okay fine he's not stupid, but there was overall no other choice in here but to just keep moving so nagging about it wouldn't make a difference.  
I understood.

Our eyes met when I spotted him glancing at me. I had well time to take a proper look on his facial features now that he was without his helmet.

He looked pretty good perhaps even handsome if it wasn't his clearly long-time-traveling- appearance. It was the first of my thoughts. Gair had a strong but not so wide jawline and the beard really did fit him but once again my wondering went towards his eyes. They were beautiful, maybe even mysterious and looked like his real eye color somehow should be brown or something like that.

I suspected in some weird way his eyes were connected to him being the Dragonborn. How many people like him you've ever seen in Skyrim and let's not even talk about how bright they were on him. I wanted to solve this Sherlock Holmes case of the strange eyes but I'd bet that he probably wouldn't know the answer himself either. Plus it would be extremely unusual if I'd start asking questions about his _eyes._ I don't practice to be a creeper.

"I like the double moons…" I said quietly and glanced upwards. "They are pretty. We don't have moons like that"

Gair did the same, but returned his frowning look upon me.  
"What do you mean by that? How you _don't_ have?"  
"Never mind, I shouldn't have said that"

"Are you a nord?" I changed the subject and nodded towards the man hoping he would ignore my light tongue on that. Damn, I really didn't even think about what I was saying, I just said what I thought. He seemed to easily recall my protectiveness but surprisingly didn't push me any further.

"Yes I am"

I smiled to this answer.

"Hah I knew it! I always knew the Dragonborn would be a nord and now it's confirmed but actually that may have been a stupid question since you look like one, I couldn't mix you to a Breton or Imperial no way" This sudden burst of talking seemed to make him listen to me at least for a while, which was new.  
"…So umm. Any special abilities? I mean of course besides the dragon shouts for you, anything specific for your kind? Like the _battle cry_?" I clearly had the flow on.

"I've heard about it. Some people say it has happened to them. Some say it won't" His answer made me slightly pull up one eyebrow and I continued in interest.  
"What do you mean you have only _heard_ about it?" Gair shifted his weight from one side to another and gave me a significant look.

"By this _battle cry_ , you're talking about a supposed release of power that frightens your enemies like a real warrior would? I haven't heard from anyone who'd done it out of their will. Not even mages. Perhaps it is meant to be a defence mechanism that may or may not happen"  
He seemed like he'd heard already enough questions, so I ended up expressing my interest on racial abilities until he spoke again.

"But what of you? You told me, that you're not from _around here_ and yet here you are asking me things which are clearly pointing that you know more than some individuals" Should have known that he would return the favor but I really couldn't say against it, since I was the one who started. It felt like we both tried to avoid the conversation about ourselves but still engaged to ask stuff, me mostly and I admit I would like to know him some more.  
"Well let's just say I…" a thought passed my head. "... _read_ a lot. It's really complicated so the whole thing is more understandable that way. We have many things that tell stories about places and I have read nearly everything. Several times. I dare to think I know most of the things around here"

"Stories do not always tell the truth"

This sentence rang in my mind for a while because it matched to some of my questions so well. Maybe he was right and I had to stop relying on those things I thought were true, but it didn't feel quite right and I was sure that there are some things to achieve with my knowledge of the future. At least alternative one but for now it should wait for another time to come out.  
"So where are we, I mean _you_ going besides Falkreath? I know you have a destination"  
He threw a new piece of wood into the flames and switched his position on the rock he was currently sitting. At the same time I dragged myself into the range of the warm fire.

"If you must know. I am heading to the Throat of The World"

My head snapped when I heard this. High Hrothgar, of course Arngeir and the Greybeards. But what for? I had this feeling that this would not be his first journey up there, it was just my intuition talking. Has he already tried to find the Horn or was this something else? The point in this was that, what if the monks could help me? I knew that if someone knows something about the mystic forces of Tamriel it would be them. The plan in question felt almost perfect but how on earth I'm going to get myself with him?

For now I was starting to be too tired for even thinking such plotting, so all I did was a big dive under the wool blanket which we kind of shared NOT at the same time! Don't you even dare to put a thought for it.  
I'd never do anything like that, not with him. This was because I knew he would take the first watch so I had time to close my eyes. Somehow the tiny external sounds coming from the fire were surprisingly calming and I had to say: I experienced great feeling of safety when I knew that the man was awake somewhere near me, watching the skies and the land.  
The lack of wind here helped my dreams to catch on even more and it took me maybe a minute or two to fall into the deep slumber.


	3. Outlander

Grey, dark clouds started rolling onto the grim sky above us when nature around was covered in morning dew, due to the damp air filled with invisible water drops. Bitter coldness brought by the endless winds bit its way through my clothes but I didn't care anymore, it was the last of my worries.

When I'd woken up the last time it rained back there for a while, until we finally got ourselves ahead of the mountain where our camp had been. The constant fall of water faded soon enough away since those clouds were apparently stuck high up, but I really could feel the heaviness in my lungs when I breathed in and out.  
The worst and the most tragic side of the story here would definitely be my shoes. They were wet all the way to my feet and I was starting to notice that basic sneakers sure aren't made for hiking in the terrain of wild nature: the fabric slowly started ripping from the sides which resulted every little stick and stone going in them, and let's not even talk about the condition of the rubber bottoms.

Who in the world would have guessed that you could kill the hell out of your new shoes in _four fucking days_ , when normally it takes a year to get even a proper worn out and still it doesn't mean they would be _broken_. This is insane! The second bad was…well the smell.  
Have you ever been without a shower over a day or two? Me neither, except now and technically I felt too embarrassed to even take a look at _myself_. I mean seriously I don't have to even look or use my nose, I can god damn feel the layer of all the dirt, dust, mud and sweat on me.  
Disgusting.

For now the sudden weather change made me think that we'd be pretty close to Falkreath, since this kind of creepy all-gray stuff could be nothing else. Every other place the rain would feel normal but currentöy I was sure that in between those trees there were more than one pair of eyes watching us move along the road. Or I could be paranoid again and talking about roads we're finally back on the proper way, which is without lying good because I really dislike wandering around in the middle of full forest like the last two hours.

For a change my thoughts centered around Spriggans even if I didn't mention it out loud, but my knowledge told me that there were few in these forests among the hold.  
Sadly couldn't recall the name of that place, I guess I have to just hope we are not coming across with it which isn't likely anymore, unless he gets the perfect idea to leave the path again – seriously I don't get it. Why can't we just walk one way, wouldn't it be more simple and maybe a bit safer too? By the look of it, could be so but when I asked about this the only thing I got was a small sentence about _shortcuts._

Mental sigh filled my brains. Yeah, when did _you_ run around Skyrim using only the main roads? Better way to say that would be actually when did you use the main roads and you would say something like once in a year _,_ but still never. trust. shortcuts. Shortcuts are always bad and usually end up using more time than you should have, though up to this point this didn't prove itself. No major disaster yet.  
Overall I was starting to feel real tired of being on my toes all the time and that was just one kind of tiredness in me. Why I had feeling I was being too careful?

During the travels one of the many things that were consuming my head, one was a piece of information I gained last night. Deciding from now on that would be the target of my focus, I realized having no idea what to do with it and the only certain thing managed to show up: Something had to be done before we'd reach the city. (I wouldn't call Falkreath a city even in Skyrim's standards but it was the hold capital so no can do) Maybe I could…-

"Stop!" I heard Gair partly whispering, partly speaking to me and I saw how he was watching the plains with sudden tense expression. That made me instantly nervous.

"What? What is…-"

" _Shush_! Not a word, listen"

I frowned, but did what he said and when we both stood there completely unmoving I could make out weird noises coming from somewhere between the trees. It was like mumbling at first, but then there was loud laughing that confirmed people being in there. I glanced at him.

"Bandits?" I lowered my voice with a questioning look but when he answered the man didn't return it yet, instead kept his eyes rather on the forest.

"Might be. Or might be something else too. Come on"

" _What?!_ Are you crazy?"

"I said, _come on_ "

After he had finished his last line I could already see him going towards the tree line and I silently cursed with myself, as he gave me no other choice but to follow as well. The last thing I wanted was to investigate weird mysterious voices coming behind the bushes! Why, why and _why_ he have to be so damn stone headed about _everything_? Usually I was specifically the one who always tried to stick my nose in everyone's businesses but not this time – this time I was thinking that it would be clever to let it be and go, but of course not because we just _have to_ disagree about everything.

I was starting to think it was some kind of law of the nature.

Though maybe they were a bit interesting but still it doesn't mean... _fine_ I really need to get going now.  
Tip toeing in his trail I went close behind and steeled my ears for further talking, which eventually got louder when we approached. My lack of information about his proper intentions made me feel greatly unsure of my steps, adding there the fear I'd walk on a branch again. Regardless even if Gairs attention was on the scene in front of us, he sometimes guided my movements by showing where to go or to avoid a certain kind of spots.  
It made me feel different for a second.

I don't really know how, it just felt awesome like he would…care? About something? This is too abstract for me to understand and when he finally stopped we bent ourselves behind a bunch of high plants, which you may also call trees if you like. Nothing too big hadn't even happened yet, but now I started to have this rush of energy that went through me and caused my muscles to ready themselves for anything sudden, or so it felt like. The warming tension made me recognize the pressure created by the hiding of from these men, but I forced myself to keep still and take a peak.

"…Do you have it Lygmir?"

"Have what?"

"The key! we gave it to you don't ya remember?"

"Oh _that_ key…I'm sure I had it somewhere"

Basically what we saw were couple of – as I had predicted – bandits sitting around a put up camp with few bedrolls on the grassy ground but I was feeling there was something different in these. The only time I had seen one was two days ago, but that was just a poor single person trying to rob Gair's money, probably because he thought that I wouldn't be any thread to him which was true of course.

Those two again that argued within themselves about some key were slightly better armored, the one specifically called Lygmir wore a sturdy iron armor with….what?! _A leather helmet_?! Let me take that previous observation back! No, no, and _no_ how are these people _doing_ these kind of sins? You can't go mixing armors like that, oh my brains are burning! Why it looks like Gair and this dude accidentally said hello and switched each other's head pieces.

More voices reached our ears but this time there was major change of tone and I assumed the man next to me wanted to see what was happening here.

"…son of a...?! How could you lose it _again_ , fuck you better find it before Mynard comes back!"

I swiftly looked at Gair and saw him smirk by himself before I touched his arm to get the attention to myself. When he turned his head I formed a word combination of _what now_ with my lips and whispered it as silently as I could, so it was barely audible. He nodded towards the opposite way telling me to just wait and I soon learned a reason for that when the third man appeared within the group. Once again it left me wondering how on earth he is seeing such a things. Is there an X-ray vision included with the Dragonborn powers or something because this is almost supernatural.

The scene continued with the two guys jumping up to greet this arrived person, who clearly looked a little more important man in their ranks. He had full steel armor on him and a battle axe but no helmet whatsoever.

"Ease mates. Have you seen Tolfring around?" Someone coughed.

"No, 'e left somewhere, babbling some nonsense about _investigating_ and _flashing light_ or somethin'. If I knew otherwise I'd say he'd finally lost it"

"So did _you_ happen to see this, what a _light_ you say?"

"I saw nothin'. Probably stared at the sun too long" they laughed a little again and the next sentences were too quiet to be heard. I raised my brows to their talking about a light, whatever that means? Too bad I could not know when this happened. Could it be possible that their missing friend would be the one we previously encountered?  
"Wait here" I heard another whisper coming from my side and I glanced at him just to see that Gair rather boldly searched a way somewhere judging by his looks.  
I shifted slightly towards him.

" _What are you doing_?"

"Watch and find out…but don't you dare to move, not an inch" he said and with that disappeared to another side. I figured out he wanted to circle the camp but otherwise I looked like a big question mark, even when I suspected that those bandits wouldn't even know what on earth struck them. Now the one I thought would be Mynard was doing something with the chest laid next to the others, maybe he tried to get it open. I heard him muttering something.

"Where's that key Lygmir?" few curses came out of the iron armored bandit and the nameless just made an angry face towards the others. I had covered view, but managed to make out enough even if couple of them were just partly visible.

"Lygmir?"

I heard the leader asking now a bit more impatiently, but he didn't get an answer and the main reason for that was…. _holy crap…_ because well, Lygmir couldn't answer to anyone anything with a dagger sticking out of his back! I saw it when the man just fell to the ground with a silent moan. I maybe should have turned my eyes away but that wasn't an option since I was already stuck with this and of course I wanted to see the fight, who wouldn't? I figured this could be a chance to actually see him being properly challenged, which would give me the picture how good Gair was with his weapons. That was my plan at first.

" _Morning_ to you friends! How's business today?" the man yelled to them stepping properly out into sight behind the dead body and those two who were left instantly drew their weapons on hand

"What the…? _Shit_! Who the hell are you?! You're goin' to pay for that you little milk drinker!"

I was almost expecting _you picked a bad time to get lost friend_ line to come up there but I guess milk drinker does its magic, if we aren't counting that I personally can't link that in my brains to be an insult. Gets me laughing every time. Now it happened to be only a brief smile because of the situation, I was still in here myself too.  
Gair slowly drew his steel sword out as well but it looked like he'd be more amused with their offending tries than actually taking it, which kind of made me mark the number one rule: never let your feelings get over in a fight. He was cool as ever.  
Still no Thu'um?

"You really should reconsider that one"

When this was said my eyes tried to process the event that occurred afterwards. First my attention flew to the way Gair moved with them even though I couldn't make out everything of it, his speed surprised me for an unknown reason.  
Those two attacked quite at the same time, but when the first one had prepared his strike he got a kick in the gut when Gair blocked the axe and turned his position. Man with the iron armor regained his balance and charged forward but his trip was ended to the blade when the target dodged, spun around him slicing first his arm and then the head.

Details disappeared from me for a while when wounded human fell back towards me. The finishing came soon enough and the gurgling dying scream filled the air, before it vanished with his throat ripped open. My lips parted to release the squeal that never came out when the dark red blood soaked into the ground.  
I was still close enough to see another open gash under his hair and thought it might as well gone all the way to the skull, talking about the unnatural position the bandit's head now laid.

It just hit me straight to the face. I had never seen a dead body once in my life. Sure you think wasn't there the one from earlier? Well was, but I didn't really...I didn't really look at it. It was dark. Now this was in front of me and I partly unwillingly called back the moment when his limbs had still moved before the final blow until it all ended, for him at least. I found my hands freezing cold. All the blood circulation from my fingers and feet withdrew somewhere in the center and the sight shook my mind in a way that made me feel sick. Not good, but it was too late for not to watch this till the end. Stupidest thing was that I knew killing people would be necessary in Skyrim, that's what I told to myself the whole time. How couldn't I know, that's what we do all the time…on the screen. Convincing voice in me said this was normal, they were just couple of forest bandits with a chest.

But they were also people and the bleeding liquid in their veins was too real.

Mynard was the only one left now and also appeared to be the most challenging – or wisest. They exchanged few hits but it was clear Gair had the advantage here and he managed to damage his wrist by pure hitting force, which caused the leader to withdraw couple of steps backwards. Apparently the axe was slower than the one handed sword so the bandit may have tried to get himself more time and indeed he got what he wanted - Gair gave it to him, somehow he enjoyed it, like a show. Like a cat and a mouse, when it is obvious the cat will win and it's just toying with the prey. Suddenly I realized something about him.

The Dragonborn wasn't a nice guy, not in this state. He was brutal and harsh fighter who took what he wanted when he had to. Of course he was, what else one would expect…he had to be. If he ever weighed the lives of these men, he'd likely would not give them a chance and the thought that disturbed me the most, was that he isn't the worst. He can't be the worst.  
We could have just gone forward in the first place but maybe there was something important he wanted. Or then this was just about having fun. Does them being bandits just justify this kind of action, since everyone probably would like to see those trouble makers more dead than alive, considering they sure know their profession there. How do you even define _enough_ bad person? Am I thinking this too much, maybe I should just let go?

The man in steel armor grimaced with blood trail falling out from his mouth, caused by the strikes that got through his defenses and he started to circle around the area. Eventually he got massively closer to the place where I had been sitting on my knees - the first nervous thought was a question: should I move? I didn't think so, he was too occupied to even look at this way.

"You can still quit _Mynard_ and tell the others I said hello! Don't mind, they are going to end up like those rests there _"_ I heard Gair taunting him while he slowly approached.

"You dream of it!"

"I wouldn't have let you done that anyway"

The bandit started to charge for the other side, reaching for the high ground and I realized he was going to do it straight past me. I have no idea what I was thinking back there, but instantly I got real stupid – or genius – idea depends where are you looking at it. I waited standing up halfway to my feet and when the time came I quickly thrust the other foot in front of his. Next thing I realized was the pull of the force that occurred, when the man stumbled down with a surprised yelp and it almost swept me out of balance as well. I could swear I saw the dumb look on his face in the midair before I caught hold of the tree behind, but it took me seconds to see that even with all the fuss Gair really took his advantages out of this.

I had no time to turn my head away when he just came up and pushed the sword within seconds through laying man's side in the weak spot of his armor, both hands gripping the sword handle.

The blade sank like a knife into butter and something cracked in nasty manner. This started to be way too much for me, so my first startled reaction was to scramble further from the body wishing he'd die quickly so I wouldn't have to hear it or see the blood pouring out. Unfortunately my legs got strangled together and I fell my butt backwards on the ground.  
A piece of wood hit itself on me and feeling the sting for a moment I couldn't help but to cover my eyes when the sword was pulled out with mushed noise, the last cry of its victim following close behind.

Then it was silent.

I noticed later on how shaky I was and I refused to turn my gaze forward, keeping it somewhere on the other side of me. I still knew Gair was looking right at me so I hardened my facial expressions not showing him the true state of my mind, even if he'd still figure it out. My tries to look tough were really swept away already by my pitiful appearance, but I had a pride too. I didn't want to give him another reason to say something stupid about me.

"Didn't I tell you to _stay_ there?! What were you thinking, how come you are never doing anything as I say…" He scolded me, not by yelling though he just sounded harshly plain with a slight annoyance. Again.  
I rubbed my cheek with a straight face and let deep sigh come out of my mouth just so I could relax myself.

"Not really…" I took a breath. "You told me to only wait so I _waited_ " I stated as calmly as I could which led me to really push myself so that my muffled voice wouldn't take any unexpected turns, even when the whole sentence was constructed of pure irony and word play. He just stepped forward over the dead man but didn't say anything back to me. "Besides you can't deny that I did help you, didn't I?"

When I started to move in a way that preceded myself getting up, I found instead the Dragonborn standing next to me giving his hand and this sudden gesture made my face to turn up the confusion for a moment. I froze without knowing how I should react and looked up to him with a frown, only to see that he wasn't mad at me at all. At least didn't look like it and suddenly it was hard to believe that this was the man who minute ago slaughtered bunch of people.

"I never denied. That you did. Come on there, I'm not going to flip you over" Gair said to me with a hint of strange softness in his voice so I grabbed his hand, letting him pull me up from the wet forest bottom. I am going to casually say that he really has as much strength as it looks like, no disappointment in that matter.

"Uh, thanks I guess"

The man slowly nodded to me with a tiny – if not so completely happy smile across his lips and waved at me to come with him. I just didn't comprehend this fair enough: I know I told him to be something else than an idiot but I never expected… _was_ that an _actual_ friendly thing there he just did? Wow, it had me good.  
I'd already sunk that fact in, that Gair would be the basic himself not doing a shit to me…then this happens and I have no clue how to answer but went along anyway, when he headed towards the empty camp. It felt like my social skills had been drowned and without warning I'd have to revive them again.  
Avoiding the dead I stopped in the middle noticing how Gair bent down to pick something from the ground and I watched him curiously.

"How did you find that? Don't tell me the key just happened to lay there. What's in that chest anyway?" He rose and walked up to it across the old fireplace.

"Fortunately it did and that's what we're about to find out. These guys aren't always the best safe keepers you know and it seems _Lygmir_ just dropped it. Sometimes I'm really being this lucky but don't you think it's so common"

"Not thinking that. I would just break the lock or something. Anyway I'm just going to check if there's anything else here to be found" I might as well do so. Though I was still a little staggered with the corpses laying around I thought, that it would be stupid not to take everything you can. Once again I had to admit regardless of the violence, which made me feel tiny bit bad (it wasn't you who killed them anyway) that looting a camp site was quite fun.

There were surprisingly a lot of stuff, the most of them not useful to us but when wandering further I found a leather bag thrown between few rocks. Glancing back to the man who supposedly was busy with his own things, I kneeled beside my newly discovered item and took it in my hands before opening the ledge.

"Hmm, what is this..." muttering to myself I put my hand in there and started to clear out the piled stuff. It looked like I sacked someone's personal stash.

The biggest and the most notable thing in the bag was a small book which instantly brought journals into my mind, or those ruined books except it wasn't ruined. There was no writing on the pages which made me think that it had to be moderately new. While putting that aside I looked more specifically finding a piece of charcoal, an iron dagger with a sheath and a mug.  
Exactly that I didn't really need but somehow I decided to stuff the book and the charcoal into my pockets. Those barely fit in there but I got it and viewing at the worn dagger in my fingers, I then opened another one of the zippers and sticked that with me too. Who knows I may yet need it.

A funny snort escaped me when I thought what I was doing here: _collecting useless junk_ and for a moment I felt really ridiculous. I mean think about it, it's like the game has brain washed me and even with real life in here I'm taking everything because why not. Just wait for the moment when I start throwing things away to get some super-mega-ultra- enchanted armor with me. Maybe I should get me some strength potion? Oh, wait potions _do_ exist that's incredible, they really would come handy yes?

Leaving that behind I went back to the center seeing Gair attaching something to his belt and when I came up to him, he looked at me with a satisfied grin.

"Knew it would be worth it. They've been tracking me since I left from Whiterun so I thought they'd have quite the price by now"

"What?! Tracking you? So you didn't happen to tell me of that by some innocent accident? Is that even all of them?"

"You didn't need to know. And of course not, that was just a small scout faction send ahead since I successfully lost them in the Brittleshin pass. Stubborn lads for sure, I'd really like them scrawling back into the skeeverhole they came from… " So maybe there was a bright side on this? Was there?

"Gosh, do they have even brains? _Hey do you know that guy who just killed a dragon? Let's rob him!_ A damn good idea I say _"_ Gair stared at me briefly with a straight face and I was casually wondering what I said wrong.  
"Chill, I just threw a joke. What's it now?" I asked and noticed him walking forward.  
"How much you have exactly _read_ those stories of yours?" Didn't know why, but he seemed scarily determined. I wasn't completely sure what this case was about even if of course I had a guess. I was afraid I'd be right.

"I know your powers well enough. Doesn't everybody?" I cleared my throat. "I mean at least the nords, but I think you have to get used to that, that I _may know_ some things I technically shouldn't. Shouts are familiar to me as well. In theory, it's complicated…really" It was getting awkward for me and I wondered where he was trying to lead this conversation. He just tilted his head slightly, but didn't speak.

"What do you know about the light?"

"What light?"

"The bandits weren't talking complete nonsense there, I saw it too. A flash that took maybe just a second, but I left it although it seemed strange and that was four days ago, right before _you_ ran into me. Odd coincidence isn't it?"  
Now I clearly knew he thought that I was the one who might have created it or had something to do with it, but then again he could be right. This left me hanging. I didn't see anything like that myself when I landed so, it was me. Or the portal to be sure. I ruffled nervously my hair while raising my brows at him.

"Speaking the truth, It…might have been _me._ Or at least the way I came from" His expression told me basically everything he wanted to ask so I continued. I had no reason to hide this from him, believe it or not. "Yea, It might have been me because, um I'm not from Tamriel at all…I mean _Nírn_ "

" _What?_!"

"I'm not from Nírn. You know, the universe"

Silence again.

"I promise I am not crazy. The things I'm telling you are way beyond probable but this is all I have, not a clue what happened! It was in the middle of a night when I went out with my dog. it should have been normal. Then he ran away from me which he'd never done before and when I failed to catch him - suddenly the next thing I came across was this, this glowing white _thing_ like…" I was almost about to say _like the sky of the Sovngarde_ but I realized fast enough that he doesn't know what it looks like so I tried to find a replacement.

"…like white mist and light moving in circles. I didn't know what to do with it other than investigate, I put my hand through and was instantly transported into Skyrim. I know things because we have, well books about this whole world. The rest of the story you already know. After wandering around, that troll almost attacked me and my escape instincts started working. That's the only explanation I have: the flash you saw came from the portal that closed behind me. I think I did tell you that I was lost, well that is true I am in the world I've never born in…"

Gair watched me as confused as ever before, he implied clear disbelief but soon seemed to somehow take it back and locked his eyes with me. There it was, I felt like drowning again but this time the reason was far more understandable. Stop looking at me like that!

"Is this even true? _Are you_ telling me the truth?!"

"Yes! I swear, that is what happened. I haven't got any more knowledge of this than you do, I'm out" The man weighed my words, narrowing his eyes. I guess he tried to decide how to respond to all of this.

"In the normal cases I would say you are out of your mind"

"But you are no normal case, that much is clear to me, so _another world_ then? I hope you know that it sounds like a real bad joke. Fine, I don't think I have any other choice but to believe you – you are not that good of a liar and it would explain a lot. Like your clothing that I've never seen before.  
I am also aware that there are many strange things in existence which we do not know anything. If the plane of Oblivion itself is true then I...will go with that"

I blinked my eyes as I was dragged along with the Dragonborn who swiftly started leaving the camp and headed back to the way we came. Is this really happening? At the same time I got a thought in my mind which maybe could help me forward, so I wanted to continue this conversation in a way or another.

"You, you _believe me_ then?! Are you…" He finished my thoughts with couple of low words, speaking a tone that brought back his usual hardness.

"For now"

I jumped over large rock and landed on the open ground again. How can he be this neutral about that? Like many times before this would otherwise probably go as always: we'd keep going with a decent amount of silence, but this time I had something to say and it swelled in me as a little mess of restless tension. I reached the man with few quick steps, slowing him down by grabbing his arm.

"Gair, I have something I want to ask from you. It's important this time" I didn't give him a chance to answer when I knew how easily he is judging everything without hearing the whole thing. "It came to my mind sometime after you mentioned, you were going to the High Hrothgar. I _know_ what we agreed to and _I know_ I should be on my way when we reach the Falkreath. The catch is that I don't know how to get back home but I know about the Greybeards and I also know that if there is anyone who would know something about mystic forces of the land, it would be them. Only problem, they wouldn't listen to me on my own anyway" I tried to keep my tone as much down as I could in order to establish my own seriousness.

"I need you. I would like to take any chance there is to get back where I came from. If you don't care think it this way: if they are able to help me, you can finally get rid of me for good. And I wouldn't have to _be_ here anymore, I swear I'd never be on your way if I didn't have to"

When I finally held my talking, he stopped back towards me and turned around which made me slow my pace as well. I could clearly see he looked seriously troubled by this request and no doubt he could get rid of me right now if he wanted to, but I made it sound obvious he wouldn't kill me. I had my instinct on this, he probably wouldn't.  
"For Talos' sake woman! I think I've had enough of you for a while, just shut your mouth will you! Just do it. I certainly _can_ get rid of you, so don't push me because that is soon starting to sound like really tempting option"  
Now he sounded angry, but I had learned one thing or two about it while being with him for a while so I continued because I knew this wasn't the end. This type of anger that came up with him was only caused, as he partly said - my talking. Not exactly what I said.

"You didn't answer to me, that was just a question. Will you help me, one last time?"

"If I say I will think about it, will you stop bothering me with your problems?"

"Of course" _yes sir, mister Dovahkiin sir how would you like your face stuffed with a bear shit._

He let out a heavy grunt and kept going. I shook my head and eyed him with few depressing looks, all the while trailing along thinking how on earth I am surviving with him. There are those little seconds when it looks like for a nanosecond he has an actual life inside his head and it seems we're barely getting along for a while. Then it snaps back to this mutual hatred and we're totally on our faces again, so little by little I started to put much less effort to these so called fights.

As we traveled forward I could make out how everything around us started to dry up. It looked like the rain hadn't reached so far even though the tree line got thicker for a while. All the shades of dark green surrounded us in the spruce forest with no proper mist around anymore, but the clouds still rolled on the sky as before. Up and down hills were more flat and almost non existent wind was warmer, making our moving slightly easier in that way. While turning my head to the right I noticed small spring coming out of the stone pile, which reminded me of my thirst that pounded my uncomfortably dry throat. Ignoring the gloomy feeling, I otherwise liked this place some, the soil underneath was in a way dark and fresh looking.

* * *

We had been walking about couple of hours and I couldn't help but to start remarking how this area was seeming more familiar than usual, it made me think about a question: would we be in the destination soon. Sure looked like it and I swear I could almost remember the road too, what I was eventually doubting of course. After all the exhaustion had gotten on, it already made me experience more darker mood than usual and I found myself wishing we'd at least stop somewhere.

That was the last thought I had time to think before raising my eyes from the ground and seeing the most incredible sight in a long time! A hope was the right word to describe it: Wooden gates of the city and two guards standing in front of it.  
I hadn't seen anything else in Skyrim up to this point except for few outlaws and Gair, so watching the men of Falkreath felt slightly exciting. It was funny to understand that the guards do have an actual face beneath that helmet because that kind of thing never came into my mind. I took them always as more of a nuisance than legit thing for preventing crimes and creating order, so I had to look at them a while longer than usual when we passed inside.

I took few steps ahead and examined the surroundings, hearing sounds of the people and their animals around. Chickens roamed across the muddy streets while I spotted an old lady walking towards the general store, heard many birds chirping and a dog barking despite the holds appearance. There was this calm and somewhat _dreamy_ feeling slowly filling my head and it got me to realize, I've seen some of these people before. Besides all of this, the village seemed to be very quiet now. It was always, right?

My gaze flew towards the famous - from here barely visible - graveyard trying to catch a glimpse of the old Altmer priest but didn't see anyone, so once again I had problems to handle everything but figured out it's not new anymore. They all _were here_ along with other familiar stuff I could recall, just being curious about the other races and how do they look like but I was ready to quit playing. I had absolutely no energy to run around wondering every person along the way and what's the most important thing: I am still a stranger.

Wearily turning around to face Gair, I folded my arms nodding to him as in questioning manner, knowing I needed his answer now but otherwise didn't speak a word.  
His eyes went up and down for a moment in the silence, broken only by some far away cow. Unable to do any kinds of conclusions about him I just waited raising my brows a bit when the man stepped closer, to be just few feet away. Before any other reaction were given to him, my reflexes caught up when he surprisingly took something from his waist and threw me a thing that appeared to be a clinking pouch full of gold septims.  
Was this part of the stuff he got from the camp? Holding it on my hands I tilted my head, watching how Gair smirked at me before he started talking.

"Well, what are you looking at? Do hear this: you'll need a proper armor if you are going to keep with me any further. Might save your life someday"

A weak but a lot telling smile spread on to my face.  
"Knew it" I grimaced, chuckling at the same time.

"Do you know how to pick one?"

"Sure! I thought that a straight start with the full Daedric one should be fine, why?" Gair nudged my side and a short hum came out of him.

"I'm suggesting you to get a weapon yourself too. No choice but to teach you how to use one, that can't be avoided here. We'll see if there's anything worthwhile in you!"

"Challenge accepted, I can take it!" I spat the words to his face with a hint of certain new determination. Gair sticked with his stupid attitude again and lazily waved it away though he still paid attention, strong amusement glistening within those blue eyes. It made me think, if after all he enjoyed these half-serious bickering moments with me which made my thoughts swirling.  
"...Don't try me. One warning there, you might come to regret your decision to ask this. There is no way I am going easy with anyone"

Poking his chest I took a step back and got my extra sassy face on with matching voice acting.  
"Oh yea? Like I haven't noticed that yet _._ Let's just wait for that certain day when I'm going to kick your sorry ass across the all nine holds and wipe some dragon face with it, _then_ you go telling me about going easy! _"_ Something world changing happened in that second. He laughed.

For the first time forever I heard him actually genuinely laugh. And it sounded wonderful which got me snickering as well even though I was the one saying it. Didn't technically prepare for that kind of thing to come out of my mouth, but accidents happen. Gair slowly took his helmet off and drifted past me shaking his head – I noticed in the corner of my eye that few patrolling guards were kind of interested what was going on here.

"You have some choosing of words. And a very creative collection of curses in that matter, not bad for a woman like you. How are you ever doing that, it's a mystery to me but I'd guess they say it is good to have impossible life goals, those really drive you forward" with that he started walking still chuckling a bit and stopped in front of the _Dead Man's drink_. "Now, I'm assuming you can manage your way around in the city without me babysitting you, hm? If not, you'll find me in the tavern, we are not leaving anywhere for a while" Rolling my eyes I agreed to that one. Piece of cake.

"Wow, what a surprise. I almost forgot about nords and their mead, go ahead no one's stopping you. There's like zero ways in total one can get lost in here, so I'm making sure I'll fetch you if I happen to come by any fire _or_ frost breathing lizards. Unless you're too drunk, then this place is basically getting fucked"  
"That's damn right"

What a smart ass. After that I let him go with a final wave and turned on my heels. I instantly knew where to go next.  
You know I have a feeling. Maybe Gair isn't _that_ bad…if he'd just let his another side to come up more often, but let's focus on that later. I have stuff to do.


	4. Dear Diary

When I finally got myself going, I navigated towards the wooden house with a porch. It wasn't really far away at all but made me cross the street in order to get there, and I was happy to see that the blacksmith's quarters were just in the place I remembered it'd be. My mind started automatically searching for the right name since I could already hear the familiar sound of hammer clanking against metal. It wasn't the time for approaching quite yet and beforehand I stopped to ponder, what on earth I was going to say to him.

It was completely out of question that I'd just jump in and start dropping names, who would even do that. I considered the plain obvious, that I should be like any normal person here and ask the name if I wanted to know, but in this case it probably wouldn't be necessary. The problem couldn't be much of a problem anyway, since it wasn't possible to remember everything, no pressures taken. Just leave those extra things in your mouth.  
With a bit of time my brains started to form an idea about the armor which I wanted and it didn't take long to choose – I bet that Lod doesn't even have many options in here. Sure, of course the daedric armor would be the most badass ever but hell I'm not even sure if Gair himself could wear that, it weights like a ton or something. And if he can wear it, there's no way no one's running in that thing more than couple feet other than dremora. Could be a little unpractical.

Stepping onto the wooden trail with stairs I carefully climbed them and arrived next to the blacksmiths working place. Hot air drifted out of the forge as my gaze fixed on the burning coals inside and in front of the anvil there stood a man holding a piece of metal and tongs in his hands. I smiled a little when he seemed to notice me rather quickly and turned around wiping his palms on the dirty front apron.

"Hey there! Can I help you?" I received loud and friendly greeting which made me try to ignore my really unpleasant look here.

"You are the blacksmith in here, so I think you can. I've come across a need for an armor. The leather one specifically"

"Oh yes I have a few but the fit must be checked. Travelling much? There is always less and less folks coming through our town, only a hearty soul travels the roads in these days" he casually crossed his arms in friendly manner. "I haven't seen anyone like you here before, looks like you have come a long way"

My face turned on grimace and a grin at the same time, when I noticed he just quoted _himself_.  
As you can see that was the nice way to tell you, you are looking like homeless junkie who has been dragged along the muddy forest bottoms, with a bottle of skooma as lunch. No wonder though, the bags under my eyes were like two huge beach balls: should probably fix that after I get myself out of this.

"You could say that and another thing, if you happen to have a steel sword too I'll take it as well" Before you think anything, it's not like I'm trying to be a copycat of our wonderful hero currently residing in the inn – I just thought that the steel sword is moderately good choice because it's more durable than the iron one (anything is) and generally better, I have a sense of quality too. No one wants to use anything starting with iron except if you are really flat broke _which_ we totally aren't.

I certainly would love to have a glass or ebony sword but I had a feeling they wouldn't be as good for person who isn't familiar with fighting. More advanced stuff, though if I happen to find one anywhere I'm taking it. Maybe elven would do as well but I'm staying in my decision now. Anyway don't go denying the truth that swords are cool, one handed in particular because great swords are just heavy. My personal favorites in Skyrim after those are bows but nah I don't feel like the archer type just now. Maybe in the future because ranged weapons are as important as any. Stealthy.  
Lod just nodded as a confirmation and went towards the chest he had somewhere between the crafting tables. I watched how he opened the lid and pulled out a thing that appeared to be the armor I asked.

"Come here" he stated and that I did, which led him standing in front of me, apparently measuring the armor against my body.

"Hmm, it'll be good, just a few repairs. You will get it by tomorrow, I am sorry for the delay but I have other works unfinished"

"It's alright I'm in no hurry. Do you mind if I ask you to do one extra thing for that?"

"Not at all. What is it?"

Blacksmith shook briefly his head and turned away to put the armor back to its place. With this answer I explained to him a small change I wanted the leather armor to have and though Lod needed a little convincing for this matter, he agreed to make it fairly easily. This was all about doing it more fitting to my own purposes, no rocket science involved. You will do quite well with the protective clothing if you're just using briefly raw logic in this and it really helps when you know _from what_ you usually need that protection. Plus which body parts are the most important.

Gair just thinks I'm a complete dumbass.  
This feels ridiculously like the same thing that goes on with my mother and father. Dad is always saying that mom doesn't know anything about his manly muscle cars and machines but wait till she gets on that mood, she's actually changing the wheels and fixing small basic stuff. So how's mom doing that then? She reads the god damn instructions about things she isn't sure of. Uhg, what is wrong with men. I guess they just have to have something they can be proud of, which can include quite various amount of things. Wait where are my thoughts going off again?  
And stop sounding like that bitching neighbor woman in her late fifties, that does not suit you at all.  
Drawing my focus back to the reality, after couple of minutes I handed him the coin, continuing our discussion.

"I'm fetching them later if that's okay so I can grab all the things at once with me. First I need to take care of other businesses"

"Of course, I will keep them ready. Good steel is worth every septim remember that, and if it is a place you need there's Valgas Inn back there, the Dead Man's drink"  
Yeah, that was it! Valga was the woman who owned the place, thanks for the reminder. I glanced behind me and returned to the upper level of the steps. A slight sweat started to climb on my forehead with the forge around this close.

"Thank you, I'm aware. See you later then" With a final goodbye I left the porch and thought what else would I need because I knew the armor wasn't the only one. Gray Pine Goods – the general trader was only few steps away. It was the first building near the gates and pondering my next move I decided to go for it, if I'd happen to find something useful. Just in case.

Then while approaching the hanging sign I almost died.

So you may want to know why I almost died? This is basically what happened: I didn't look down to my feet at all and suddenly the biggest, the greatest, the most feared and the deadliest motherfucker of all motherfuckers of Tamriel nearly jumped on me with loud screech and caused my poor organs to run out in terror through my mouth and no this time it wasn't Gair, this is worse. Yes, it is possible.

It was a chicken. I seriously ran for the door cursing along the way. I was so close to be jailed for life. Next time remind yourself to watch out for those bastards and snickering with myself a while, I opened the door and went in.  
Surprisingly there were two men inside the shop and judging by the first look they would be relatives, brothers as some may know. This was the one thing I never paid any attention really so I had no clue about these guys otherwise than what they do. Both were kind of muscular looking with blonde hair and a small beard - they seemed to be in a middle of something.

"…Ain't done nothing to that. There's always some problems bothering" I heard the younger looking man complaining harshly about something that I had completely missed, but the discussion stopped after he laid his eyes on me due to the twisted door that slammed shut. He frowned upon me and straightened himself from the counter he'd been leaning on, walking immediately to the center with displeased face.  
"New people _again_?! Where are these wanderers coming from? _You_ don't even look like a nord" with that he sneered muttering something silently and rather aggressively passed me (he almost pushed me out of his way) before strutting out of the door. This action just left me standing there with a questioning face and when I finally turned to face the shop keeper, the event had me giving him some wide arm gestures.

"What was that?" I asked silently stepping forward. The blonde man just gave me an apologetic smile and walked up to the front side.

"I'm truly sorry 'bout that. Don't mind Bolund, he's young and gets riled easily. Unlike my brother, I've no dislike for strangers since I met lots of 'em while I was a Stormcloak. Name's Solaf I'm the trader of this town. Anything specific you need?"  
Right, the civil war is going on too. I really wanted to see Ulfric though but otherwise I didn't know what to think about the whole situation. It was bad either way, even if the empire caused slightly more negative feelings in my mind.

"Greetings, I'm Bria. I was just dropping by" I paused. "You don't happen to know what's the situation with the war do you?"

"There ain't much to tell. The fightin' with the Empire goes still the same, no victory yet but too much losses! Maybe I don't pick up a blade in Ulfric's name no more, but I still hold with his ideals. Then there are those dragons coming back, I've heard"

"That much is true", remarking this I took a brief look at the things he had for sale. It was quite pleasant to chat a little with the veteran who seemed to be fair guy.  
Strict but fair. I thought I was being lucky to find few nice persons but this talk about the war made me think, that in reality there were much bad happening on both sides, without forgetting the Thalmor.  
After shaking those things out of my head I said goodbye to the merchant, before finally going back to outside with a decision to go for the Inn. It wasn't complete waste visit either, I came out with one strapped bag and warm hooded wool cloak that would help me to protect myself against the possible cold weather. Folding the cloak nicely into the bag I added the book with a charcoal soon after – look, even in Skyrim I want my things to be in order, the cloth would take much more space if I'd just throw it in there.

Avoiding the free wandering animals I crossed the road once more and climbed up the steps which led to the door of the tavern. One part of me really liked to see what it looked like from inside, I would bet there's a little mood in there. Fires and torches make me feel warm.  
The wooden door was heavier than I'd expected but I managed to go to the other side of it: the only catch here was, that instantly when I did it the place literally hit me on the face.

Oh lords, there goes the mood, I think I just saw it running away and doing a suicide by jumping off of the nearest cliff.

Yup. Smells like men. This was the place that very strongly defined the perfect soul of the male gender here, the wonderful mixture of alcohol, dust, sweat and other manly things which includes yelling, laughing and non-existent manners. Just like everyone would have imagined it but I told myself that I wouldn't want to wake any unnecessary attention, before I'd get myself into right looking clothes. These old ones are wrecked anyway but first I needed to find Gair.

Fire pit in the center had to be the warmer of this house while grey smoke soared out of the long hole up in the roof. This added burning wood to the selection of smells around the tables that were partially filled with sitting visitors. Few more than I'd have expected.  
Explanation to this would be guards 'cause I saw some of the men with blue robed armors. Maybe they don't have the concept of not allowing drinking while in work, ignoring the fact that there isn't much work to do in here.  
If you know that the nord culture is basically about fighting and drinking in a nutshell, you know enough to determine the voice levels of this place, otherwise it didn't look so bad at all. Mounted Elk head had been hanged to the end wall and few of the benches were dragged in rough formation where the largest bunch of people sat.

They caught my full attention and when I looked for the right man and it didn't take me long to see him, but I also saw something else at the same time.

There was a woman amongst the men group.  
She wore light greenish dress outfit with leather corset middle part, long boots and her hair had this slight shady mixture of orange and brown. With the dim lighting in the building she seemed highlighted when standing closer to the big fire, and well if her neck hole would be any bigger than that, exaggerating I could be mixing this accidentally to another kind of tavern.  
I refuse to forget this one, you my girl are famous but whether in a good or a bad way that's a bit conflicted thing. Hello Narri, it's nice to see you. Or is it? I wasn't sure why but I stayed in the shadows watching a while longer their drinking. I was visible yes but literally there were no one that would've turned their eyes away from _her.  
_ Men are incapable of hiding that look on their faces and much less when they are under the effect of the magic potion. Figuratively.

Nevertheless maybe I couldn't blame them,the barmaid was a pretty sight (illegally so) with her thin face, jewels and a bit more revealing dress than usually seen on anyone. I have to admit that, even if she is way too pushy. I could tell the way she moved around laughing out for every bad joke she heard from the tipsy guys which made me slightly irritated.  
That's so fake it makes me throw up, you're not actually interested about a guy who once saw a dancing dog, whatever that means. I'm wondering if she's fully clear herself either but apparently clear enough to politely avoid everyone except one.  
I was guessing there was some kind of a story going on with Narri partly explaining it and between the sentences she inconspicuously changed her place, which made me want to ask about something. Have you ever been in a situation when you see something happening and you can predict for sure what's coming next?

Now I have because the ultimate grin on Gairs face was clear as a night sky, when that woman wrapped lazily her arm around his neck and sat on his lap with a way that was too casual looking for me. She smiled at him and continued on with few whistles coming out of the corner table. If she wasn't flirting earlier, now she certainly is.  
 _Jesus_ , why don't you just tell everyone you wanna bang him that would be less obvious! _Shor's bones a handsome man in Falkreath,_ was ringing multiple times through my head, now with that accent she always had. You can't be serious.

Silently snorting I thought I definitely wouldn't be around to see where this is leading but I have one guest going on here. I wanted to return the pouch he gave to me. The big problem was I'm not so interested to drop between _that._ Not amusing. I'm also not interested to drop between anything going on there, if it depended on me I wouldn't do this at all and stayed within the blind range.  
It was just like changing from a one school to another in your teen years – you are a newbie coming into classroom. When you finally after some prepping and encouraging decide to step in, every possible eye pair has turned to watch an' judge you while you are awkwardly trying to figure your seat. Let's not even talk about that particular phenomenon which occurs, when everyone has their own group of friends and you're just there. Doing nothing.

Shortly I didn't feel comfortable anymore. Way too much pressures when I'm being completely out of my usual shelf, which means shy and avoiding.

Think about that, it'll sting for a while and no one is going to remember anything so let's get this over with.  
With a deep breath I stepped carefully forward and approached slowly. I had in mind to keep out of the circle but moved, so Gair could maybe possibly notice me after he's done staring at Narris rather showy front side in front of his damn face.  
Whoa, you are wishing girl.  
Sadly that didn't happen until the man realized his tankard to be empty, meaning more work for the maid who then rose up with few words whispered at him. Only then Gair took proper look around, noticing me standing somewhere in the background like the worst wall rose ever and that made his face to turn into more serious one with a slight questioning frown.

Ten minutes. It took ten. minutes.  
I held up the clinking pouch so he could know what was going on and then decided to continue by throwing it at him, nothing would get me to walk up there. Too bad he caught it even while being slightly unbalanced, but I soon found out that this whole episode was a mistake from my part. Few men turned around to see who the thrower was and I found myself to be intensely stared at, that didn't make it any better.  
"Who is that?" someone muttered and the closest one smirked turning his eyes back to the Dragonborn.

That same man with light brown hair chuckled afterwards and spoke so that everyone in the tavern could hear him.

"By the Nine! Ya know lad, usually the payment goes other way round doesn't it?" he finished with a grin and the whole gang burst into a laugh with mead mugs in their hands. My sudden struck face changed into a sheepish, jaw dropping expression when at the time I'd almost feel how my cheeks started burning up, caused by the embarrassment and the displeasure of this supposed joke. Which by the way didn't feel like one. I definitely got what he meant with that.  
Wow, I'm just so glad that even with _that woman_ around it is me who's looking like a whore?  
My scowl deepened when Narri swept past me like I'd be air and drifted back to her old place with couple extra bottles and a yell for the bard to start playing. This was fairly enough for me, I'm washing my hands from that crap. And since the previous thing was the only time I had even slightest acknowledgement from my so called travel companion (he had a new thing to focus on), I turned away leaving them behind.

Whatever. I am just saying this now apparent thing, if there's a price for rotten judgement I have definitely won that. Twice.

Sneering in frustration I slowly continued forward as next to the wall as I could, heading for the front and less crowded side of the Inn but again I was approached by a person. For my own ashtonishment it was Valga who swiftly dropped a bunch of mugs on the counter which she had been cleaning and walked up to me. She happened to be pretty sharp looking woman with slightly darker skin than those fellow nords and chocolate brown hair. An Imperial.

"Finally! I've been waiting for you to come around, by Devines you are looking horrible. Follow me!" she yanked me with her from my sleeve, without giving me even time to think about something to say.  
"I know, I know! Wait, where are we going, what is this? You're, you're Valga right?" Innkeeper turned around for a moment and nodded convincingly.

"Yes, I own this little place here. Valga Vinicia is my whole name and do not mind those…" she lowered her voice half smiling at me with her hands on her hips and a remarked look towards the now singing group.  
"They are men, always bragging about something _especially_ after few rounds. Don't judge so harshly for that, you will find most of them being reasonably convenient persons outside of the tavern" I glanced back to them for a moment with a grimace.

"I'm trying not to" Valga gave me a comforting tap on my shoulder before proceeding again.

"But now you are the one needing my attention. It is really out of my understanding why are you even traveling with him, but that is not my business is it, I am just knowing that you've been through a lot! Come let's get you elsewhere"  
With _him?_ What is going on? How does she know and what does she know? I was little confused over this sudden warm treatment but went along. The woman dried her hands onto a little towel, before leading me for the small back door behind the counter and opened it shooing me inside. She then came afterwards as well and took something out of the closest drawer. A new place definitely.

I noticed this was basically something that seemed to be a washing room, supposedly similar to our showers for an example. The space was small, containing only couple of things, one of which was the big wooden box filled with water - a bathtub. Remarking quite effectively this would have been the only room that didn't smell so horrible, at least yet. My brows rose as Valga placed something on the end table and pointed at it. This was all happening too fast.

"Here you go, I got you new clothes. I can see they are really coming in need there but take a bath before putting them on. There is no hurry so take your time, here is everything you need. Your meal is on that table too, it is still warm so eat first if you like and…" She thought for a moment something but returned soon to the point.

"When you are ready just come to me and I'll show you your room. Is everything clear?" Hesitating for a moment I finally dared to open my mouth.

"Um, How are you doing? what you're doing? I mean how about the…-"

"Oh, don't worry about the payment, it's been taken care of"

That was all she said with a friendly gestures before heading back to the other side.  
I was left standing with myself in the middle of the room and soon I realized how the noises of the people were now greatly muffled. The amount of silence was outstanding and the only lighting to this room came from few small, dirty glassed windows and a lonely candle on top of the drawer. It made the dimness in here create very peaceful environment.  
I wonder. Gair, it was you who did this wasn't it? In that case I think I should thank you after all but I am _not_ doing that in person.

That running mind of mine quickly took hold of the situation and as Valga had suggested I went for the food first. Wooden plate seemed to contain some game meat with couple of vegetables and potatoes, sided with a slice of wheat bread and how do you think I reacted to it? I have never tasted anything better, the piece of heaven in a physical form. My stomach was killing itself just because for once in a long while I got to eat myself full - there was no time for even proper chewing, I just threw the food in my mouth and swallowed. Luxury I say. Luxury.  
Very good indeed I was alone so no one saw me eating like a dragon but when you think about everything in here I understood something: if this trip so far has changed some bit of me, I think it is mostly my idea and picture of the word _luxury_.

Massage, manicure and cucumber facemasks with champagne? Oh hell no.

Full plate of real, actual warm food and a bed? Hell yes. Who would have ever thought?

Rising up to my feet then, I started ripping my clothes off of me and remembering the dagger in my pocket I placed it into the bag with other things. As I unbuttoned the shirt and removed my bra, I went down for the lower levels throwing the rags somewhere on the floor with slightly disgusted face.  
I was so happy to peel them away from me.  
Exposed skin took in the coolness of the air and goosebumps drove up along my spin,e which made me wrap my arms around me. Before I would lay myself to the water I examined my body and all those bruises I had gotten within the days, some of them even left a very small faint scar behind. It made me think the way this land had kind of left its mark on me already…and this wasn't going to get any better. It never does in here.  
For my own surprise the liquid felt actually warm, almost hot so I went for it and sat down.

Leaning on the wooden edge, I made sure the water reached all of my body parts and finally holding breath I dipped my head underwater as well. After few minutes I could feel how the warmness spread through every muscle and bone easing the pains and aches in me, mostly my feet which felt real good. Calming and somewhat happy sound of the flute flowed through the door and walls in here, which made me smile a bit. I really liked bards if they are good at what they're doing, ear torture isn't healthy.  
Tell that to the woman in Markarth.

Firstly I really took my relaxing time splish splashing around, but started eventually washing and scrubbing the persistent dirt and mud away with the help of a soap, which had been brought along with everything else. Never in my life I have been so thankful about a chance to bath and as clear as it is I used rest of the white, greasy clump to my rough sand colored hair.  
Maybe not the most deep nourishing shampoo but as long as it makes my hair look less like it'd be licked by a cow, it would continue to be the best thing ever. I hope they have more of this stuff because by the look of it I'm going to fill my pockets with these, wishing it won't start raining.  
Little by little I was beginning to feel less and less dirty and instead of the horrible stench, my skin smelled reasonably fresh if we don't count the slight odor from the soap.  
I looked at the grayish water around me with a grimace and exited myself quickly from the tub, fearing that the dirt would jump on me again if I swim around on it.

Wet drops hit the floor when I reached out for the thin fabric that tried to be a towel, starting the drying from my arms and shoulders. It took maybe fifteen minutes to get dressed properly and I can say I approved the clothing choice she had done for me. Rough dark blue belted cotton tunic, brown basic trousers and fitting boots with few straps to tighten them. Simple but pretty for my eyes but once again I did the favorite thing of mine: rolled the long sleeves nicely up to the elbow.  
As for the wet, curled hair I didn't do anything about it, just let it hang back and when everything was ready, I traveled up to the entrance hesitantly opening the door.  
All the noises got louder again but I didn't grant one single look up there - waving a silent signal to Valga I waited for her to come around.

"You're ready! Oh, look at you, now that's much better. It is great to see what kind of person there is under all that mud, you just go to the first door on the right. I left a jug of water there, figured out you probably won't prefer mead that much"

"You figured out right, thank you Valga. I really appreciate this. By the way I left my old clothes back there, so could you please get rid of them somehow. Burn or whatever they are basically destroyed"

"Of course, I will do it and well this is what I'm here for. _Hm_ , _what is she doing now_?! Sorry, no time to talk just go ahead I'm going to see what Narri's up to again…"

The woman went towards the group and launched few chosen words over everyone about something that I really didn't want to pay any extra attention to, so ignoring was the best option available. Walking away from the happenings of the busy tavern, I sealed myself in the room noticing that just like she promised there really was a jug of water on the table. I poured myself some before sitting on the edge of the bed. There were total two of them but _why_ I had a feeling I would be sleeping the most of the time alone in here.

I took a while just being there without any particular source of brain activity, until I rolled my eyes taking the book and the charcoal out of my bag which laid next to me now. Emptiness of the pages disturbed me slightly and while riffling them back and forth, my thoughts gathered around this as it would be something important.  
I wanted to do something on it. The truth is I have never kept a diary but now it started to seem like a good idea. It was just...I didn't really have anything or anyone whom I could freely tell my thoughts and feelings, plus now I certainly had something to write down. Maybe I could try and take it as a brain cleaner since I think I'm desperately going to need one.

I didn't care what hour of the day was going on, I had a plan to get some long rest soon but first, not a bad thing. Smirking, I handed the mug away and leaned on the wall behind my back, while my fingers took better writing grip from the coal. The very first sentence that reached the corner of the paper was an important note to self, which should be remembered by _all of you_ my friends.

 _Narri is officially a bitch._


	5. One handed increased

_**Updated**_ _ **version 1-**_ _ **5**_

 _ **20.1.18**_

* * *

 _ **18th Heartfire 4E 201**_

 _I finally figured out the date here, even thought Gair still found it stupid of me asking about the year. I have no proper memory which month that'd be in our world, but I'm pretty sure it belongs to the fall since leaves are telling everything - really nice.  
Everybody brace yourselves the winter's coming but hopefully that takes a big while 'cause I ain't ready for snow yet._

 _It's been couple of days since we left Falkreath behind and believe me, I gladly did that. To touch personal matters here: I never used to distinguish Narri from my game so often or not but as I had remarked, she was way more annoying in person. Surprisingly I also have to mention, Gair had arrived to the room somewhere around late night, waking me up with all that hurly-burly "trying-to-get-in-bed-wasted-as-fuck" manouvers.  
Anyway I promise, if I'm ever getting back home, you'll be sure I am going to shove that sword through the barmaids ass, at least fifteen times with satisfied smile on my face. Absolutely hilarious! _

_Now besides sounding like a creepy person with sick sexual preferences, I've been doing some serious exercising lately which isn't technically doing any good to my health.  
When and if I ever make it to the Ivarstead alive, that will definitely deserve a whole chapter in this book: otherwise I think I'm eventually getting more things out of Gair.  
They may be tiny yes, but there has been few times when he was the one to start conversation and that is huge, considering the person we're talking 'bout.  
Obviously this still doesn't mean we wouldn't have our usual daily routines and arguments but aren't they saying that it's healthy to have some kind of habits._

 _Very out of context - sometimes I'm really missing my phone and internet and usually that situation comes, when I have one serious need for complaining about certain things to random people, who could try to share with me the possible solutions. Skyrim unfortunately lacks the A-class wifi so instead of that, I'm being old fashioned in our standards and this book and coal shall occasionally be my best friends.  
Time to bail._

* * *

I dropped my tired and tortured body on the ground bit too heavily this time, laying arms across the grass with a undefined groan coming out of my mouth. The intense glow of the sun dazzled my eyes as I listened the pounding in my ears, trying to balance my swift breathing.  
My arm muscles felt like they had been filled with painful acid and trembled with the tries to use them for anything. I couldn't literally lift a finger while sweating and narrowing my eyelids to protect myself from the extra lighting. I heard couple of steps coming closer with a sound that comes from a sword when it's hit on the ground next to me, so that my self-protection instincts kicked. I dodged with a roll onto the another side.

"I am not done with you yet! You said you can take it, so take it and no whining" Gair's rough voice said to me, while I glanced upwards with a grimace.

"Eat shit! Are you aware of possible mental disorders in you…you are _sadistic_. Have you ever heard of _positive encouragement_ , I'm suggesting that"

"Of course. I am _positively_ _encouraging_ the fact that Draugr are going to slice you to pieces before you can even think about weapons if you don't start practicing! Now pick that up!" he pointed the sword lying next to me with his own and few bad words slipped out, while I flipped over and dragged myself back to my feet which took me great amount of time. Partly caused by the fact that I purposely tried to make it as slow as I could.  
"Are you sure it's the Draugr that are trying to kill me now…" I snapped jokingly and deserved a small chuckle from the guy standing next to me.

"Let's just see if you can ever get to that point. There are many less dangerous things than walking corpses, that are going to beat you up in this state"

Sure, like _mudcrabs_.  
"Can't blame you for overflowing optimism"

"I'm a realist. Are you going to make me wait whole day here?!" Biting my teeth together I scoffed a little, but grabbed the handle and took the stance he had shown me some time ago.

"Wider! You're unbalanced and hold that sword higher so you can block any attempts to strike your middle body, it is a weapon not a stick. Right, that's much better and _hold it_ "

Yes, general Shang.  
Even if I was complaining inside my head, I still did what he told me to and we kept exchanging hits in the same manner than earlier. Sometimes he would make changes to see if I could react to those and to make sure I wasn't getting too used to the continuous pattern. If it would be a real fight it'd be very unlike that you'll make two same moves twice.  
The man blocked one swing coming from me, pushing it back so that I had to move.  
"Set more force in your strikes, don't hold back. Don't even think about hurting me, I'm telling you are not _that_ good"

"Just keep talking and soon I will think! Maybe I'm not worried about you, I think more like about myself. Don't judge me, my number one childhood rule was _don't ever run around with sharp things in your hand cause you will poke your eye and stab someone_ and that's why I'm still experiencing chronic fear about everything that is containing sharp edges"

"Sounds like stupid rule, why would you have that?" I used my feet to get to the other side of him.  
"I don't know I never obeyed anyway"

"So that's where it is coming from. Should have known"

Along with that, I had no more time for chatting and steeled my focus. At first it seemed I was doing fairly well but Gair decided to put some challenge into it, speeding up.  
I could say I was already pushed to my limits but I thought I could still push a little more, so tries to keep up really melted the flesh from my arm.  
The reason why another one of my upper limbs were just as mushed, was that he pretty much made me to do these same things also with my left hand.  
Far worse if you're asking me. I am right handed for life, I can't even write my name with leftie and now I suddenly have to handle a sword with it – it is just as hard as it sounds like. If I can do ten strikes with right, it drops to three with left hand.

Have to make it clear, this training with both hands wouldn't be really something he needed to do. It could be with just one, with the better side but when Gair explained to me that I should be able to use the left too in case my right hand ever gets injured, I thought he took this pretty serious.  
So he does care at least to some extend orr then he's just avoiding the easy path 'cause he always has to make everything harder than it is.

I was able to take this new pace only for couple of minutes until Gair broke it by disarming me, which led me staring at the tip of his weapon with huge eyes. The whole thing happened so fast I couldn't even see my sword flying on the ground and with a deep sigh the man lowered his arm.

"You should be able to stand within this day as well, I think we're finished. Now on I'm going to make sure you can eventually keep that up longer"  
I am not able to stand you jerk.  
Before doing anything else I went to grab my water flask, drinking some while putting myself down on a random rock. I swept my forehead with the palm of my hand, remarking how I still tasted iron in my mouth but I ignored it, trying to calm my panting instead.  
"… _One handed increased_ " I muttered silently with slightly amused smile and leaned elbows on my knees. I think I might have reached the level two by now, don't you?

"What?"

"Nothing" Frowning I focused my eyes back to him.  
"About your sword…is it just me or is it somehow different from what I have. Shinier?" Gair just walked up and gave me a conceited grin.

"It is far better than that too. Skyforge steel you see" he stated, tapping gently the sheath and this at the same time made me perk for some reason.  
"How do you have _Skyforge steel_!? You aren't companion are you? Please, just tell me the blacksmith is still alive"

"I haven't got a habit of slaughtering people for everything, in case you are wondering"  
"Oh, you haven't?! And here I thought you're on a lifelong guest to kill everything that dares to move in your personal circle. Which by the way is huge"

"Did you now? Where'd you get that kind of picture of me, huh?"  
I let out a tired chuckle.

"Funny you should ask. Shall I remind you of that poor wild dog! Or how about that traveling mage then, I told you…-"

"You are drifting off the topic again, this is _not_ relevant. What comes to the _Companions_ , you won't get me joining in those thugs that much I can say. There are many ways to get things but yes the blacksmith is indeed alive, if that makes you happy. I'd rather avoid being wanted all over Whiterun and chased by a bunch of dogs" a  
Everything was completely fine until I heard the last word of this sentence. He didn't just say that. _Bunch of dogs?_ I hope this was a coincidence or is there something more he knows? I rejoiced mentally but anyway I'm happy that he didn't kill Eorlund that's a good sign.

"You and your _many ways_. Spare me the details please"

In this weather the leather armor I had was hot from the inside, which made me think that Skyrim hasn't seen this much sun shine in fall since forever. No wonder though it had full fur coating but I could see why, in snow and wind it would be a life saver. There's no point having an armor if it can't keep you warm enough as well, even if Nords had it easy.  
When we still had been in Falkreath I'd asked Lod to do a little change into my armor, if you remember and that change literally was to make it shorter. As many knows the original leather armor reaches somewhere around your knees and I found this disturbing from my part. Figured I can't use my whole moving capacity with my thighs wrapped up, so now it has been made to reach about half that way which really feels better - Without counting the fact that I do got some development to do. It's different for the sake of just wearing firm thing on you.

Regardless I realized this arrangement brings a little minus to the protection points but I'd rather have that, than keep getting frustrated with an armor, that is longer than my summer dresses. If I could choose any armor that I would want for myself I'm saying that the Thieves guild one would be quite perfect, guild master version even better because of the color. I absolutely love the hood and it is nice looking without anything extra stuff and it literally increases the ways you can carry things around.  
Unfortunately I don't want to get marked as a criminal by my outfit and it would be hard to get that without joining with the guild.

This little grassy site was currently replacing better camp but it wasn't permanent, as much as I knew. Gair decided to make a stop for now since we traveled late last night, past narrow rocky way which he told wouldn't be a good place to stay. This after all didn't mean we'd be resting that much as is seen, he really puts me working on it. After all I'm trying my best even if that means training myself to the Sovngarde – hate to admit it but the man is right. I'm pretty sure he knows what he's talking about so denying those rude words of his wouldn't be wise but say the least someone must be occasionally poking the limits.

"Collect that ass of yours up there and come with me"

I looked at him with irritated face when I saw Gair taking something into his hand and eyeing it closely. Some kind of knife but the structure was different.

"I've been barely sitting about five minutes, what is it now?"

"If you think you are going to eat today something else than flowers you'd better take that back. We are going to hunt and the animals aren't dying by sitting, unless you sit on top of them"

"Ha ha. We? Who's _we_?"

"Are you seeing any other persons here? If not, then _we_ would include you in it! Hurry up now and what did I say about that whining?" I rose up rolling my eyes and walked up to the man with crossed arms and small scowl. This was getting in the right way.

"And _why_ are you whining about _my_ whining? Because that is definitely whining, which means you can't do that because whining is forbidden and your whining is causing my whining, so technically my whining is _your fault!_ "  
All I got was a really confused look, when I watched his brows getting higher with every word containing _whine_ in it. Gair just eyed me like he'd be a three year old who just opened a puzzle box with two thousand pieces in it.

"…Should let you know I lost it somewhere at the third _whining_ and the only word I understood between was _your fault_. You are making no sense at all, is this the famous woman logic?"

"No it's quite the ordinary logic, the one which you have none"

"Do you really need to fight with me? Don't start it"

" _I am_ _starting_? It was you you who started developing problems out of nothing again!"

Suddenly we just stopped, staring at each other in a way that basically told us and everyone around, if anyone isn't willingly going to put an end to the tightening voices, it is definitely going to lead into a fight. I could almost feel the invisible magnetic force field that manifested itself around us but the difference here from the usual magnetism was that, we apparently were wrong– the same kind of heads who someone tried to stick together.  
No matter how much force are you using or which way you push, they are always going above, under or to the sides but never in the middle where'd be the right spot.  
I huffed but decided to be one who's giving up on this, praise my brilliancy. I bet he could be standing there the whole day waiting for me to say that I was wrong again, so just leave it.

"Let's get going then. Show me the way _Sir_ since you are knowing it anyway…" Gair took a step back and pointed the woody plains ahead of us before opening his smart mouth again.  
"Sir? I think I could like the sound of that but no it's still too formal for me. Go get my bow"

Sorry my bad, I'm not letting it go after all. He ruined it.  
"Excuse me do I look like a type you can just order around?"

"Yes. Are you getting it or not?"

I let my jaw drop a little bit in disbelief.  
"Get it yourself!" I could hear an irritated groan coming out of the man and for a moment he actually looked like he was literally going to release the _unrelenting force_ at me but in the last second held it, deciding otherwise.

"And you are calling _me_ stubborn?! Do I have to force feed every single explain and detail through your throat, _you_ are getting that bow because _you_ are going to use it, not me!"

"Ooh, in that case! Sure I'm on it" I flashed an overly sweet rainbow smile at his displeased face and went back for the wooden hunting tool and arrows. I know I'm annoying, don't bother pointing that out but he's being just as bad so it's not my fault. At the same time now, there could be heard silent murmuring that included something about Divines, women and murdering which remarked that this would be one line more to my records. Why then? Well, usually we start picking fights before ten in the morning but surprisingly this is just the first one today.

It took a while but soon both of us were making our way towards the proper grounds, walking under the leaves of the thin trees. Wind whispered and hummed across the forest tops with birds calling each other and in this moment everything were relatively settled, or as settled as wilderness can get.  
First thing to do was to keep my eyes sharp for any animal to appear but for the most of the time, I was wondering how is this going to turn up.  
Since Gair said I was the one using the bow my thoughts were mainly negative, it was only couple of times that I had shot with this (not anything living) and so my brains didn't think I would be able.  
In any case no words escaped from me this time because I didn't feel like talking right now, just appreciated the momentary silence between us. Nevertheless even if things were hard sometimes, couldn't help but to think: as I explored our surroundings in these better days, stuff tended to take more positive looking course.

Aside from everything else, the atmosphere felt yet little disturbed by our debate for a while, but it went away along with time as fast as it came.  
When the man spoke to me again it sounded like even the smallest nuisance was gone, so if he kept it serious I would too and completely new thing to lay your energy at is also helping. Suddenly we smoothly continued like there never were any close-to-start fights.  
It meant only one thing, caring about someone else's business just turned into mutual ignorance.

"That's what we're looking for"

"What, where? I don't see anything" questioning this I made my way over bunch of roots.

"Right here. Take a look at that tree. What do you see?" he asked, taking a swift sprint forward before slowing down in front of a tall pine. I went closer turning my eyes upon the bark and saw that the first layer had been peeled or scratched. The light colored wood was partly visible, this one had been clearly damaged somehow but why, is this important? Shaking my head I changed looks between the man and the tree.

"It's…broken? Those are kind of resembling scratches or something" Gair's expression shot somewhere between approving and mysterious.

"Not just resembling. That is exactly what they are but there's much more to it than that" he examined the thing by sliding his hand across the surface.

"You see, this has been recently done by a deer. Especially males are constantly rubbing their growing antlers against the trees, either to leave a scent mark or to ease the itching – great way to track one in good area like this and it seems there is small pack of them around, judging by those couple other trunks. This tree hasn't properly formed resin to cover up the wound yet so the marking has been left around less than couple of hours ago, they aren't far away either"  
After Gair was finished with his talking I could happily say I pretty much thought, this man was _really good_. How on earth he'd make conclusions like that.

It's just that no one who doesn't know enough wouldn't be thinking similarly. He's telling almost everything from just a simple scratch on a tree, what a way to learn new things. I _almost_ felt tiny point of admire there.  
"How are you doing that? What else, would have been perfect if you knew which way they went but from where are you telling it's a deer? Aren't there other animals as well that do damage to the trees?"

"Likely the easiest thing there is. This ain't magic girl, it is just knowledge, _the one_ w _hich you have none_ "  
I received very small, barely visible proud amusement from him and the hint of irony hiding within that last sentence, made me bite my lip before waving at him.

"Ouch. You are such a cruel man! Using my own lines against me, you've had too much lady company"

"You tell me about that" Now the attitude is back.  
He's never going to quit that isn't he? Whatever gods there is that are hearing me, please give me strength. I can't just understand how can he be so _careless_ about everything for the most of the time. I mean this also generally, I could be telling him there's goddamn Alduin behind the next hill and he would be like _so, should I be interested?  
_ Sometimes it makes me ask from myself, does he possess any feelings or opinions at all towards anything in here, except the usual annoyance. Why it must be so complex: one second he is throwing a joke but in another second when the topic would be something more than that he's acting like the whole world is doing something wrong to him.

My mind quickly called back the moment nearly week ago when he tried to apologize his behavior towards me. It had been a strange moment, I had seen something else in him for a second. Literally a second. Something little deeper than this, which is real hard to explain but I must try. It was like the few words that came out of him were actually said _by him_. Not the ordinary him that is now always present.  
I realized how distant man Gair after all was despite the laid back nature. Almost week had gone by and I knew nothing more of him than this. He did what he had to with me and rarely when we ended up into a minute, when our banter was real funny and not just more or less playful mocking he seemed to be slightly closer to me. Not just enough, though it was clear some of his choices were based on something else too than hatred.

Back to the business.

"But what comes to your question, which is a good one – you can tell the mark is _flat_ , bark is worn off. There's no sign of anything sharper like claws there. Bears are known to destroy trees this way but if you saw one that's done by one, even you would recognize it. They do much larger and deeper scratches with their paws. Now, enough of that we need to find the pack so down we go. You might find tracks or waste somewhere to help us but there is two important places to remember: unless they are traveling, deer stop to eat only near waters or hills. You won't easily get them settle on the full open ground so that's not where we are looking"

I nodded convincingly and started searching the right things even though we continued by going downhill, near the ending forest line. Neither of us didn't really get the discussion going on after that, now I knew it would be more clever to be as silent as possible, so different noises could be heard and possible targets wouldn't flee.  
Gair only told me that sticking with the tree side should be done but soon I remembered something from earlier.

"I have a guess where they might be. At least I think so" I spoke with half voice now and when the man just firmly glanced at me, I took that as a permission to say it.  
"We came here from the other side of this plain right? I saw small river going on behind those big rocks there. It just isn't visible from here but I'm sure I saw it so wouldn't that be the place to start?" I got my answer with few approving words. We kept our way the same but made a turn to the left, so that we'd be still following the tree line.

Suddenly though appeared pretty soon that there was no need to go that far.  
Gair quickly stopped me, when we saw almost at the same time brown large antlered buck wandering around on the side with less plants growing on.  
I took the hunting bow ready to my hands but gave an eye at the man beside me, waiting him to tell me what to do next. He just nodded sharply but dragged me with him around the spot we were originally approaching, pointing out the rest of the pack below.

"Get down" I heard a whisper and slowing the pace of my walking I soon found myself behind few nearest bushes. There was a gap between them, so we had moderately good view about the grazing animals. Few of them jumped, jerking their heads up but fortunately the whole herd didn't catch up with that. Majestic animals those were with their pretty looking fur and antlers.

"…Better be under the wind so they are not smelling you that easily. That one is good there, coming this way"

Indeed there was a deer coming, dark chocolate brown female but it was small. Very small for an adult. I frowned thinking that it could not be fully grown but wasn't a fawn either. Gair had kneeled on the right side of me and was currently observing the one he chose to be killed. Oh lords is he making me to kill an animal? Is he?! How in Oblivion I'm supposed to…crisis coming here. No hidden message intended.

"Don't say I have to - why that one?! Look at her she's so small and cute! How can I possibly _kill_ that?"

His face dropped to a rather interesting look. It was just the precise look that is in everyone's face when they hear something so stupid, they can't even ignore it anymore. Imagine that your friend is saying he doesn't know how to switch channels from television, you would have the same face.

"What did you call it? _Cute?_ That is _food_ "

"But…"

"Starve or kill it"

"Surely there's…"

"No!"

This was sad. This was so sad that I almost felt an urge to wipe my eyes for the invisible, imaginary tears. I glanced back at the deer that stopped real close to our hiding spot now. I couldn't move anymore so much and while swallowing I took the bow and steel tipped arrow, placing that on its rightful place.

"You have a clear shot. It isn't as hard as it seems…aim at the bottom of the neck if you can" My heart was racing too fast at this point when I raised my arms drawing the bow, which included little bit of shifting so I could keep it steady. This much I could do but as for the next steps I wasn't quite sure anymore. Gair did see this though and carefully moved behind me. I couldn't see him after that, I had to keep my stance or otherwise I would lose focus. The thing about focus was though I couldn't see him…but I felt him soon enough when his hands reached out to correct mine few inches to another way.

"Draw it back some more…" I heard a whisper in my left ear and doing so made me grimace since this really felt uncomfortable somewhere deep in my shoulder muscle. Even the wooden bow was challenge for my strength but fuck the pain. You know, I really should focus. There's the damn deer I should shoot which is still too cute to be murdered but my brains…my sweet brains had another plans for me. Instead of the prey ahead my eyes practically tried to spin around about one hundred and eighty degrees to acknowledge the person _behind_ me.

I decided I was too much of aware how close that guy was. He was practically…maybe…almost…definitely _touching me_. Where's the limit here? Apparently nowhere in existance. And yet here I am frozen solid in every possible way that is. Believe it or not I tried not to care but before I could do something about it, the worst happened.

"I didn't cast a paralyze spell on you. Relax or you'll miss" another set of words came out and my head was screaming the alarm signals with my mouth pressed on tight line. _Shit he noticed_ and sure it made things far better. I had this dry land drowning experience. I didn't have a mirror on me but even without it I knew I just had on the most hardcore blush that you've ever seen, with my cheeks burning up. I needed to get out of this, it can't be worse anymore or actually it can if he ever sees that I am looking like an over cooked tomato. If that happens I can start planning being eaten by a big lizard.

When the man last time adjusted the direction of my grip I didn't wait anymore. Not thinking about the deer, the arrow was freed.  
And it also hit.  
The doe released loud squeak before running steps then falling onto the ground, leading others to take their hoofs under them, escaping as a small group. On that instant Gair jumped up calling me with him and half ran to the fallen animal to make sure it wouldn't get up anymore. As I saw, she tried very hard.

The doe wasn't dead. The arrow had sunk itself near the neck but not enough for an instant kill so now it was laying there, trying desperately get up and I felt horrible. I couldn't look at those dark eyes and continued hating the painful noises the deer kept crying. Sharp hunting knife appeared on Gair's hand but in the last minute he stepped forward offering that thing to me.

Is he serious?

"It is your kill. Cut the throat and end the suffering" I heard him saying maybe one bit slower than usual but otherwise it was the same. Staring at the knife I could now feel how a slight peak of anger spread in my mind. I didn't know why. Maybe it was because he just asked me to do that kind of a thing without anything more than those simple words.

Yes he is serious.

Cut the throat. I bit my teeth together and narrowed my eyes but otherwise my inner fighting wasn't showing outside. There is no such point in my life, where I would have killed anything bigger than a spider but something weird just snapped in my brains and grabbing the dagger I kneeled down beside the animal. It was fast moment when I stared at it.  
The doe had stopped struggling now so it was an easy task to press the blade into the right spot. I'm sorry I have to kill you.  
Cursing in my mind I closed my eyes as I sliced upwards. I just sliced using as much force as I could, feeling the metal sink into flesh, piercing it and when the last empty squeal came out it was done. My hands trembled when heavy looking, dark crimson blood poured out forming a pool there, which slowly started sinking into ground.  
I am _not_ a cry baby, remember that. I backed up throwing the knife there and avoided getting myself messed in that anymore.

Gair picked it up, yanking the arrow out of the body at the same time. He seemed to ignore my bad mood, maybe it was better this way. It means he isn't going to get me mad at him too.

"Now it is for the best that it's skinned quickly. Scent of blood is going lure the beasts out...Where are you going?"  
I turned to face him nodding towards the way.  
"Back to the camp. I'm not watching" for my own surprise he said nothing to this. I expected that he was going to make me observe the slaughtering as well but now the man just went for it as he'd have known it before I even said anything.

"Build a fire then while you're at it. I'm coming with the meat"

Previous was the last thing I got from him before leaving. I couldn't see the camp from here but I didn't need to anymore. My own sense of directions had become somehow better with generally improved place memorizing skill. Although it wasn't much, I noticed how I would slowly start seeing and making land marks for myself, so I could make out where we are and where did we came from.  
This was a thing I tried to practice with myself, did it on purpose. To say the truth here the most disturbing thing on killing that doe was…that it didn't feel that bad after. It was bad but not just as bad as I _wanted_ it to feel. That was making me angry.  
What if that deer would have been an actual person and someday I just might think that same after slicing someone's throat.

 _It's not so bad._

That was making me scared too. If you get used to killing…how do you control it? Is it possible that somewhere you just start solving small problems with decision to take someone's life because it is easy?

After I returned to our set up camp I placed the weapons to their places. I think he had the arrows but the bow was the one he picked up from that mage I mentioned earlier, strange thing for magic user to carry a bow or am I wrong.

I took my time with the fire, seeing the sun that wouldn't definitely go any higher. It was way past midday already but when I finally got rid of my igniting problem,s we had pretty little campfire going on when Gair returned chunks of raw venison with him. After washing the blood off his hands the next few hours went with the meal.  
As I figured out it would be clever to cook and eat all at once, there's no freezer available so raw meat isn't going to be good anymore after too much waiting.  
Not in these warm temperatures, plus of course it would be impossible trying to explain Gair how bacteria is working: that the things that make the food bad and not eatable are actually so tiny living creatures, that you can't see them with your bare eye. He'd think I'm insane, I mean more than already. For these people here it's just enough to know that if you wait with your food too long you can't eat it anymore or you're getting sick and that's it.  
Maybe _it is_ enough and to say the least I wish we'd have salt with us.

Hopefully you don't ever have to eat game meat without any spices and this fresh at least, it's not tasting so good and is pretty chewy.

* * *

Before the night came we packed up and moved our camp position as was the plan. This new place wasn't so open wide and was closer to the road, that went somewhere out of our sight.  
When stars started appearing into the sky with even fewer clouds covering parts of the deep black background, evening was the same as ever when we both were still awake sitting around a fire. It was surprisingly warm night.  
I had hidden my face between my knees blankly staring at the dirt floor, while thinking absolutely nothing. My stomach was full and with hunger gone this certainly was good feeling even if the dull taste of the meat still lingered on my tongue.

A piece of wood collapsed in the flames sending sparks up in the air just before Gair stopped sharpening his sword. He laid the steel weapon away and continued with silence for a while but it was broken soon.

"You've been quiet about an hour now straight through. I'm not sure if I should get worried or relieved here?" I snorted, letting out a lazy soundless laugh but eventually moved my gaze up with somewhat wry smile on my lips.  
"Is it that bad?"

"No. Finally you are shutting up, it would be the first time. But within these days I almost got used to the phenomenon that there's always someone babbling useless crap, especially when it isn't needed. There must be some reason behind this"

"How sweet of you, _come on_ just admit you like me talking" as for an answer he didn't say anything but showed me a small smile there, which made my thoughts brighten up a bit. I watched back at him pretty closely but this time I noticed something different, something I haven't seen before for some reason. The amused face of mine changed itself to a more questioning version as my eyes focused somewhere around his neck.

"What's that? Haven't seen that on you before" I asked calmly pointing a thing looking like thin rope band around his neck, a necklace of some kind? I dragged myself to sit next to him so I could see better. Gair's eyes shot down to the same spot, which led him slowly taking the rest of it out since it had been partly under his armor.

"You mean this? I always had it…it's an amulet" the man's voice grew slightly tender for a reason I didn't know and that made me frown. His face also depicted certain seriousness though it was covered by calm talking. Still the sight of the thing made my heart skip a beat.

"Is that an amulet of Talos?"

I reached my hand out, gently touching it, like making sure it really was made out of things from this realm. I can't believe it. The Dragonborn had an amulet of Talos, but why? I really missed it out if he actually had one so often, and I'm doubting it could be related closely just for Shouts. Does that even have an enchantment of any kind?  
I wouldn't know. Gair shoved it back to its old place soon after and our eyes met for couple of seconds. I know these things shouldn't be that rare but there's something else in that I swear, I could see that from him.

"I didn't know you were religious type" I spoke quietly there.

"This has little to do with religion" the man muttered while looking at the flames rising up. What was that supposed to mean? I tilted my head.  
"…How did you get it then?"

"It was a gift"

Oh I see. I tried to look normal as ever but that meant I purposely had to hold my mouth corners up.  
Careful nod came from me but my swayed look stayed on him longer than should be appropriate. I knew there's nothing more I'm going to get out of him.  
There was this sharp sound in those words, I knew he wouldn't tell me even if I asked but it was too late. My curiousness was already growing way too much and the latest answer didn't make me happy. It just didn't.  
A knot slowly formed somewhere in my gut. You know the one which collects this tingling tension in there and keeps sending these somehow good vibes through your body – this was the opposite of that. A gift from whom? Why isn't he telling me?  
A minute passed.

"Bria…" I swiftly faced him.  
"Did you really encounter a troll up there before Falkreath?" Now who's changing the subject?

"I did. Ordinary one, fur color was mixture of greyish light brown and so on…why are you asking now?"

"I was wondering that many times for a reason that, trolls don't live up there at all. At least they shouldn't" I slowly shook my head implying I didn't know anything about the case and shrugged.

"They are moving in different places after all right?"

"I am not convinced. The reason there shouldn't be trolls is that, that place holds no caves nearby. They do move but never really far away from the possible lairs. _Until now_ " Gair left the topic hanging after that and leaned over adding few sticks into the fire. It sounded strange indeed. Surely there could be caves around that no one knows anything about but…I walked straight into a white portal, met dangerous creature who shouldn't be there, ran into a random direction and ten minutes later collided with person who is supposed to save the whole world and now I'm somehow traveling with him.

When you are putting it that way, it sounds like I'm part of a really bad fanfiction and whoever's writing it must the person with the worst sense of humor in the whole world. And if we quit joking I could only think one option here. What if it wasn't chance meeting at all? What if there is a reason why the portal came, why I went through it and why I continued to be here. Were we both thinking this same thing?

Still had no answers and might be as well I will never get them. Does it matter though?

Rest of the late evening was spent fast and Gair started looking comfortable there but now the problem was on me. I wasn't.  
When I casually went to sleep later on under the cloak I had something was wrong. Disturbing, restless feeling clouded my mind but I couldn't clearly figure out the source of it. Light green aurora beam lingered faintly below the stars and the tree tops showed themselves as a black silhouette against the beauty of the land, before my eyes after an hour closed for good. Sadly the same feeling followed me in to my dreams.

* * *

Next thing I first knew that I was awake again.

My thoughts were so thick of sleep that the only thing I could do was to produce a question. Why was I awake and what time is it?  
My ears came with me next after and I heard very small cracks of the campfire few feet away from me but the warmness of it was fading, so it was still night time? How long I slept I wonder.  
When my eyes decided to start working the previous picture was confirmed right, it was still deep dark.

I had been sleeping my back towards Gair, wrapped up in the cloak so I doubt he knew I had woken up but then I frowned to myself. Why it was so silent? It was never this silent and as I really dug into my consciousness I had a feeling I had been hearing something, that shook my dreams off so I listened. I listened a long while staring into nothingness but when the silence just kept going, I started breathing again.  
Another thought came up, that I probably just imagined things and there would be still time to sleep for me, but just when I was about to go for the chance…it happened.

The noise was like a spear that shot through the sky, shaking the nature and everything in it: sharp and deadly. It was a roar. Long roar – a blood freezing scream that echoed everywhere at once in every direction. I couldn't even process it fast enough as everything in me stopped working and the hair on my arms stood up as I would have gotten an electric shock. The roar repeated itself with slightly different pitch and the fact that made my heart racing like a drum was this: there was an emotion in it.

I instantly shot up in sitting position on my place only to find Gair sitting there, his head calmly turned towards the unknown darkness. When the man heard me getting up he moved his attention upon this way and there was something truly stopping in that moment.

The look on his face was something I hadn't seen on him even once before at all. The fading fire in front of the Dragonborn reflected on his intense bright eyes which stirred up the riddle: was that reflection at all or were the flames actually in him.  
I decided this man was someone else - the raw hardness and tension in there were clearly visible now. Other parts of his expression showed me some kind of starting aggression, an anger that dwelled inside of him, but the most notorious thing were that it wasn't this ordinary anger you see on people. I'm not sure if this makes any sense but this anger was perfectly balanced. You could feel it radiating from him, you could see the way he sat there like he'd be ready to move in any passing second but at the same time he wasn't jumpy nor shifting on his place.  
Rock like patience and calmness. These are the words.

I was nearly startled there.  
"What was that?!" shaky, half whisper that came out of my mouth was everything else but calm. The feeling that creeped out at me, was the same I truly experienced only once before in front of that troll. This was fear, fear of the beings that so far were almost forgotten and I had no idea how can that even happen. Of course I knew the answer but I asked because I wished I would be wrong, that there would be something else in there.

Gair didn't remove his gaze from me when he answered slowly with a clear voice.

"That dear Bria, is a _dragon_ "

The man took something from his side before I saw him holding one of our water containers out. Before I had anything to say against it the water was poured over the fire. Light died and we were left in complete darkness, even if I could barely make out the outlines.

"Why did you do that!? Is it coming this way?" I felt pitiful when my talking voice went way high up, with my worries.

"It is far away so likely not" slightly softer tone took over the first words.  
"Sound carries in a night like this but I am not taking risks. Dragons tend to have good eye sight and if it is to spot a fire in the middle of a wilderness, it will investigate. These are not some _mindless beasts_ you'll find in the woods"  
A hint of bitterness came up with the words describing dragons' intelligence. Once again I heavily let out air from my lungs, the breath I was holding in. Squeezing my hands together I then took better position, if there had any tiredness left now it would be ignored. Despite this information I dared not to sleep and I doubt that I could anymore with the occasional distant shrieks still coming in amids the strong howling winds.

They really were real. Real and dangerous.

Just this once I pointed to myself how I felt uncomfortable sitting here, on the other side of the camp. The darkness wasn't nice anymore, it was thick and scary. Worst part here would be that there was nothing behind my back, I wanted…to get closer to _him_. In this situation Gair was the only thing that wouldn't change for sure, he would be there and the best part: he wasn't scared. That gave me some courage too, like I would be absorbing the state of his mind.

But there was total two reasons I couldn't do what I wanted and the first one was, I refused to look like five year old who's scared of the dark. He would think I'm stupid. The second one was that…it would be simply too…? I just couldn't. I had my fair share of closeness from before, I know no one's telling me to jump into his lap but it is complex again.

 _But I still would have wanted to._

All my fate laid now with him. Maybe that's what I've been doing whole the time even if I wouldn't like to think so.


	6. The blood of a Dragon

**This story has been "on a break" for a long time. Way too long time.**

 **For a first thing, I'm very sorry for that. Most likely any of the old readers are not here anymore**  
 **which would be completely understandable** _(but if there is by some miracle you have my greetings! and I also wish you are still interested)_  
 **Anyway: I have decided to continue the story, with new level of inspiration and I have spent the previous weeks fixing and editing the old chapters with my Beta reader.**

 **If there is someone that already read the whole thing, I haven't changed any major plot points. Just changed expressional words, phrases and tiny bit some scenes to make them feel better and generally just enhance the dialogue, grammar etc. But as I said there is nothing so huge.**

 **And as looking to the future, if there is any new readers who would like to stick with me here, I welcome you all - this is my "new beginning"  
If you liked the story, please leave reviews if you feel like you would have something to say and follows blah blah, all that basic stuff you all probably know.**

 **Hopefully you have been enjoying this far! :3**

* * *

"Eww!"

My right foot splashed into something very wet and deep, before Gair grabbed my arm in the dark to prevent me from falling down in a hole full of freezing water. I let out a squeal and held my heart for a moment before taking few skips after him.  
"I know it's dark here but at least _try_ not to get yourself in trouble" he nodded towards the glistening surface and I followed his torch light right behind. Somewhere far away water droplets dripped on the stone surfaces and I heard those tiny noises echo everywhere which made me experience slight paranoia. The natural empty formations had spread into deep, long caverns, some filled with particles of rare plantation and the place spread eerie vibe everywhere we went.

"Whose idea was to come here anyway? Just tell me, why are we actually here" I argued, half whispering since I didn't feel like being too much loud in the endless ways surrounding us. At least my boot didn't get soaked like my previous shoes that didn't exist anymore.

"Shall I remind you that this cave is going to the right direction? And who wouldn't want to find out if there is anything worthwhile in here. Don't you like a little adventure, I think I heard something related to that yesterday, huh?" his deep baritone voice taunted me, while I just kept checking the views behind my shoulder once or twice.  
Filling my lungs with the air that had a scent of dirt and moss in it, I prepared for an answer:

"I know that. But talking about adventuring, I had completely other kind of places in mind. What if there is something _living_ in here?"

"If there is, it's going to be good practice for you"  
"That's exactly what I'm afraid of"

Pondering these phrases, I decided to not say anything else but regardless drew out my sword just to hold it in my hand. The weight of the metal created comforting feeling of safety - at least I was ready to rumble.  
The torch light we used formed orange, flickering shadows on the nearby walls of the cave, which little by little approached closer. Creepy feelings wen't down my neck in this damned place while searching for anything resembling a clear passage and If you asked my opinion we had spent way too much time under ground.

Although as we all know no one _will_ ask my opinion since it wasn't validated, it was better to just remain shut and do whatever else.

Fortunately later on we happened to discover an entrance to a tunnel-like formation and hoping that would lead us out of here, I let my steps lead me forward all the way through. Gair followed close behind until he suddenly stopped me from moving, I felt his breath touching me somewhere near.  
"Do you hear that?" he whispered straight to my ear in a way that made me shift my weight from one leg to another.

"Definitely"

Somewhere ahead of us, there would be heard silent rustling sounds, like lingering steps which didn't belong to a human.  
Giving him a nod we silently approached a chamber, covered by spider webs. The place gave me even more chills but I convinced myself to be brave.  
They were only spiders, even if they were venomous frostbite spiders some bigger than a dog. Prepare.

"You'll be fine as long as you watch out for the poison, they are not so fast. The key is to keep moving, whatever you do don't stay in one place"  
Apparently the look I gave at him transferred some kind of doubting emotion, since a small grin appeared on his hard face.

"I'll have your back. Don't worry", the man seemed slightly too proud on that but I let it slide this time, taking better grasp from the sword. Without any further words I stepped ahead to the entrance of the spider lair, inspecting all the possible targets.  
Before anything happened Gair came after me, throwing his torch to the middle of the floor surface, where the webs and dry hay mixed, blazing a bigger fire to linger for certain amount of time.  
Now we were finally able to see the whole size of the place that continued above us while the burning fire drew out the rest, hiding spiders all around the nest.  
Three of those slimy bastards noticed me close by, threateningly snapping their jaws and gurgling with weird sounds.

I hate insects.

Other thoughts than that didn't have time to cross my mind when I took action and plunged towards them by running, just to be more harder target to hit. Few poison drops landed behind me during those few seconds when I readied the strength, pushing the sword through the head of the first spider. Spinning around I came to slice the feet of the second one, giving it a killing blow which created very unpleasing sound effects.

Lucky for us these spiders were the smaller ones, which gave me a bit of confidence: another tried to jump on me but I quickly avoided that, slightly too much close and afterwards sliced him couple of times straight to the eyes.  
All of this was disgusting, maybe scary as well and my body tensed during the fight, after all the thought of possible damage got me going no matter what.  
Squeaks sounded all over the place, when more hostile frostbites came into the view but down there I saw Gair whacking them up and the couple remnants decided to escape from his rather aggressive blade.

Remembering the dagger, my hand grasped it from the belt I used to keep it nowadays and with practiced wrist move the sharpened blade flew, hitting one hairy one behind the man. It could have been deadly if the dagger only hit some other part than the backside of the body, but it made the spider flinch and twitch until the Dragonborn finished him.  
Personally I was being slightly out of breath but now that it was over, otherwise surprisingly fine.  
There was a moment when I experienced...some kind of joy of being able to successfully kill those beings.

Gair walked up on me, picking up the old torch and gave my shoulder a tap that nearly sent me flying on my nose.  
"Surprisingly well done. You have defeated _the fearsome_ spiders" he chuckled sarcastically while drifting forward, telling me to continue after him.  
"So how is it?", this seemed to be more sincere question.

Nudging his side I gave him an eye roll and kicked one sack of eggs away from my path.  
"If you want the typical answer I'd say that I'm thinking how to kick your butt for that comment, but the real answer is I'm fine. Or now at least, I'm great", half smile reached the corners of my mouth.

"This is just the beginning. Now I know you can fight but we have still a lot of work to do. _Spiders_ are not the only ones I'm preparing you to go against.  
The dagger was a clever idea though, you should keep doing that. Maybe you'd do nicely with throwing knives and not that piece of junk"

"Hey, quit insulting my knife" I let out a hurtful snort, while now as for the first time I checked out my sword, which happened to be full of dark green slime slowly dropping.  
" _Ugh_ , spider goo. Can I wipe it on you?" waving the hilt in front of his nose, I picked up his avoiding maneuvers.

"Keep that thing away from me!"

I simply grinned at the man. It was my turn to laugh.

After some time wandering in the tunnel, we came across a platform that led upwards. No more spider encounters happened after the previously seen, only few old and broken pots here and there. Possibly this part of the cave could have been inhabited long ago but as we saw, everything seemed empty. The man was certain that there had to be an exit somewhere around, due to the slight draft of wind breezing around.  
Light bursted in from a hole afar from us and I ran to examine this one.  
Poking around with my hands, I figured out something.

"Well? What is it" Gair exclaimed intolerably.

"Don't sound like that, Im trying to investigate here! Seems like the way is blocked by some amount of external rocks. They should be movable by enough force"  
As to confirm this sentence I took out few stones to see if they would fall out easily.  
I heard the clinking sounds of various metallic parts when the dark haired man stepped up, giving the barrier few strong kicks when it started to break down piece by piece. The rests we were able to remove by hand and in the end squeeze out of the tight stop.

Day light blinded me and squinting my eyes, I covered them with my palm.

It was already an early evening so the sun hung slightly downwards. The dusty, heavy air changed into fresh breeze that blew across my face, pulling my hair back - it had grown a bit more lengthy these days. The tips reached my shoulders, maybe some day I would have to do something about it.  
Gairs sword halter got stuck for a moment and I heard him struggle, before also reaching the outside world. He continued alone with couple fast steps few feet forwards to get sight of our surroundings on top of nearby rock.

My sight gathered around far away forests and cliffs. Down from here started moderately open grassy area but for some reason I felt like there was something not quite right - My brains worked on the solution, what could it be until I fast saw a significant thing out of place, a thing that didn't belong in your usual foresty view. A thick, tall cloud of dark gray smoke rose behind somewhere the nearest landscapes. It faded above the tree tops as if one strong fire caused a cloud and nervous feeling crept inside my wondering mind.  
I paced near the man and guided my questioning eyes at him.

"Is that smoke?" I said right at the moment he happened to see the same exact thing. I couldn't help but to notice the grave frown, building across the face of the man and he placed his hand on the sword hilt like always, when he suspected some action could be happening.  
"Seems like that. But that is way large to be any camp fire. I had remembered there should be an Inn somewhere here. I don't like this"

Before we got any ideas to approach further, my ears caught screaming.  
There was a woman. A woman dressed in brown dress and a tunic, screaming and running uphill towards us. She seemed to be hysteric, crying uncontrollably. I could't watch it and jogged to help her, she reached out for my hands forcefully and tried to speak through broken breaths.

"Please, plea-...please help us! Help us! There, there is...!"  
She was a slightly older lady with tiny amount of wrinkles on her face, her eyes watched me deep from her skull and part of her clothes were covered by black dust.  
I wasn't sure what to do so I ended up trying to make her calm down enough, so maybe she could pull herself together in order to tell me whatever she wanted to say. I kneeled beside her.

"There is what? Can you tell me? What are you running from?!"

It appeared, that after that my questions to her were useless when my heart skipped a long, painful beat. We all heard it - something very, very familiar.  
The same roar from some nights ago now spread everywhere. And this time like a furnace nearby, within the rising smoke, bunch of flames violently burst into the air and something heavy shook the ground.  
I took one shallow breath as my brains experienced a slight schock.

"...A DRAGON! Please help us, my son...my son...I can't find him!"  
the woman screamed again and ran away from me like she didn't have any control out of her actions anymore.  
She was terrified.

As I was.

I spun around to see _him_. He had seen it, felt it and now proceeded to turn quickly to face me.  
"Gair" my tone of voice went down more than I wanted. "there's a real dragon in there" I put some fast strength in my voice, pointing to the general direction and taking a breath. "What do we do, are you going to -"

"Fight it? Of course I'm going to" he grumbled.

Never before I had heard his voice so serious. Seconds before the expression on his face seemed to be somehow disturbed. Disturbed,worried or perhaps disgusted for reasons I couldn't know: Finding myself unable to decide what was wrong here, the man snapped back to himself.  
It reminded about the moment in the camp fire. I squirmed on my spot when the man suddenly took hold of my shoulders to make me focus on him. Everything happened so fast.

"Listen, you are going to stay out of this. Whatever you think is happening you are not coming after me, _is that clear_?"

Gair was so demanding that I didn't have a choice. He spoke to me like I had been a soldier and never in this world I had been situation like this, I had no clue what to do. Sometimes I thought even the spiders were scary but right now I would take a group of them ten times over this one. Pressure tortured me so bad it messed up my thoughts, so I just kept plainly nodding to him as an answer. The thought of being brave was much easier to decide, when you are not truly in the situation.

"...Now keep this, we need to be fast. _I_ will handle the dragon: _You_ are going down there and you will do whatever you can for those people, all right? There will be more of them like that woman, you have to stop being scared and act! Can you do that? Can you!"

"I can!"

"Good"

He took his iron helmet and pressed it on his head with double swords drawn out, giving me a glance.  
"It is now or never. Go!"

When his last word fell, I looked back a second and then took my feet under me.  
Somewhere further away I heard more people but when I arrived half way down the hill a humongous beast rose into my view from where the smoke came from. Hot wind hit my face when his wings threw gusts around, a greenish shade dragon whose roar echoed everywhere, slamming into my ear drums like they wanted to burst. I stared right into it's intelligent reptile eyes and even if I couldn't understand their mind, I did understood that his only sole purpose was to burn. Burn the creatures beneath their power. Regardless of my feet trying to do spaghetti, I forced myself to keep moving so it wouldn't take me as his target and fled further.

Now on the move, the scaly creature used his huge muscles to fly forward and I distinctively avoided, covering my head when it flew over me with a strong swish sound, tail dragging behind.  
As much as I wanted to turn around to see if I could still see Gair, I had to trust him and do my job as the building nearby suggested as It didn't take me long to get the Inn, in my sights with the fire that sent pile of sparks in the air.

One side of it was nearly destroyed and I watched how the yellow flames licked the wall up until the roof. Few men and women were standing outside, few others were looking for places to hide and probably some of them had been running away like the woman we previously encountered. I heard a lot of loud voices and stopped to think for a moment what to do. Doing the brain job challenged my capacity of creative thinking while the question came near life and death but as terrible it could have been, events seemed to happen without further emotions at all. I had no time for that, the only signs of my true situation were the physical complications which tried to shook me, so I did my best to gain reasonable focus.

In front of me there stood two men and one woman, who the men tried to help up from the ground. She was coughing and shaking way too much to travel and the men were arguing amongst themselves. I quickly approached them, noticing one of them had partially burnt leg hence he had to limp.  
"Hey, you there! Where are all the others?" I spoke to them while taking hold of the girls arms to pull her upwards.

"We don't know! Many escaped from that damned _lizard_. They sent someone to take a message to the Jarl but I'm afraid it's too late, they never gonna make it!"

"Shu' up idiot, they gotta make it or we're all dead!"

The second man supported the woman on his shoulders and I figured they seemed to be most likely a couple.  
"...If we don't get anyone helping us with that, everything is going to be destroyed. Me and my wife took care of the place here"

"Don't worry about that. I don't know how much of the Inn will survive but we already have help"  
"Really! How many, where?"

"One"

They looked at me like I would be insane but we didn't have time to argue about the numbers of our troops, the female suddenly gasped for air and started to speak.  
"I, There is still someone inside! A boy" the woman exclaimed and I went to quick mode, spinning around couple times.  
"What? And now I'm finding this out! Look you have to do this, take her further away from here, go along the road and check if you see any run aways, there is already someone to keep the dragon busy"

"I have to go in for the bo...-" the first, Inn keeper man argued against me, and I interrupted.  
"No, you dont. Take care of your wife and besides your friend here is injured. I am going"  
"You?!"  
"Yes, me! Just do as I say, we don't have time"

Another roar sounded from the distance as the silhuette of the dragon flew around the tree tops only to land again.

Turning on my heels I ran for the broken entrance that was previously the main door and took out the wool cloak I had in my stuff. I figured wool as a material didn't burn so effectively, it would protect me from the fire at least a little bit. Pulling the hood up and wrapping part of it around my torso and mouth, I took a deep breath before entering the building by jumping over fallen bench.

My eyes watered while at first I wasn't able to see anything.  
The smoke and gas floated around the big room and to avoid breathing it, I proceeded in low position as much near the floor as I could. The hotness reflected everywhere inside there and it made me instantly sweat. I coughed few times but since I was determined to endure it, I continued.  
" _Anyone here?! Hello_!" screaming, I eyed all the doors that lead into the bedrooms and hoped I could find the missing boy in time.  
I would have only few minutes in here.

" _Please answer me!"_ I tried again, hastily looking around but since I couldn't hear anything and the pressure of staying got too huge, I had to do the inevitable: I started checking every single room one by one, by opening the doors and running through them. The fire had started only in one end of the building, the bar side. It was fast raising up to the attic and soon would get too huge to hold. The wall in that corner had to be partially destroyed.

I took heavy, scarce breaths and tried to focus, still calling out for the boy. Just when I was about to reach the last few doors I heard faint knocking sound coming from one of them. Rushing in through a pieces of coal, I slammed the door open and went inside. About perhaps eight or ten year old child peeked from behind the bed, watching at me until he started to scream something about _taking him_. I tried to cover myself a bit less with the cloak.

"Shhh, It's alright, I'm not here to hurt you" I whispered and slowly approached, kneeling down on his level. The humming of the fire felt only like a distant sound in here.  
"What's your name?" He sniffed and wept his brown doe eyes with dirty hands.

"Aven" His voice sounded tiny and slightly shaky.  
"Well, Aven. My name is Bria. I came to get you away from here" I tried to smile a little bit.

"I'm scared"

"I know. But I promise you that everything will be fine, if we just go out of here first. Your mother is outside waiting for you, don't you want to meet her?" taking couple more steps to him, I seemingly gained Avens trust because he gave me a tiny nod as an agreement. I decided to take off my cloak which had to be way too big for him, but for now it would serve a better purpose.

"What if we put this cloak on you? It won't be so bad. We have to be fast" just when I finished my sentence a cough came up again, the smoke leaked from under the door now more than before. The boy grabbed tightly my hand while I rose up. I told him I'd check first so I went to the door and carefully opened it.  
It was a mistake.

As for my surprise a bunch of flames and black smoke slashed out from the tiny hole I created. A pillar made out of wood crashed in front of the door, leaving us unable to open it completely as I stumbled backwards falling down. First I didn't even realize what happened before the pain stroke me as the gust of fire had burned my hand. At first it was only a tiny feeling on my arm, then it grew.  
I saw stars for few seconds and unwilling yelp escaped from my mouth as I went numb and fought the tears that accidentally leaked on anyway. Sweating and panting on the floor I realized how much the situation had escalated in tiny time.

We were both going out of breath when the fire consumed more and more of oxygen. My brains and eye sight went fuzzy, like I'd experience extreme tiredness and the situation went quickly critical. The fumes were poisonous.  
I almost started to have a slight panic but I heard Aven let out a scream again.  
"We can't get out, how are we going to get out, are we going to die...?" the kid said through furious coughs. I decided we weren't going to die.  
Pushing myself up with all my strength I looked around for an answer and found one: a window.

"No one is dying today!" stating that, I grabbed a chair, breaking the glass with two strong hits.  
"Hold on!" I yelled and despite the pulsing pain on my arm, flipped the boy on my arms giving him a chance to climb out. I wiped my face and eyes to my shoulder the best I could and bit my lip against the hurt. The window allowed only one of us go out at a moment but as he was tinier than me, Aven managed to take hold of something.

I climbed after him, squeezing myself out as at the same time I tried to make sure his grip wouldn't fail. There was a fall until the ground. Exactly in the moment when I got myself in position a burning gust flew out of the broken window. There was no time, we had to jump.  
Before we'd be on the ground, I took the boy as close to myself as I could so he would take less of the hit than I did. Colors span for a half a second as I realize my footing was extremely miscalculated and the next thing I realized, the ground violently hit the air out of me.

My chest was in pain as I tried to gasp for air unable to do so and distinctively heard someone talking to me, but my ears rang so hard I couldn't understand anything. After a time that felt like minutes of suffocating but had to be most likely less than that, a person grabbed my arm and helped me out. It was the same woman we had encountered before the dragon attack and she seemed more calmed down, although still hasty. I slowly regained my breath.

"Good Divines! You saved my son, thank you! Thank you so much! Are you fine miss, can you move?"

I thought there weren't a place in my body that didn't hurt right now.  
I limped few steps with a lung ripping cough attack repeating, at the same moment trying to convince her that I was completely good. Aven held on to his mothers hand, scared looking.

"I'll survive. Now bring him somewhere safer will you. This is not over yet" stating that I started to walk away, giving last sight to the boy. God dammit, they could as well remove my hand and that would cause less pain! But I tried not to look at how the inured part looked like, I didn't want to know.

As both mother and son were about to leave, neither of them got so far when screeching high pitched mix of scream and roar sliced the air with a flash of flames. My guts dropped somewhere down, when after all these intense moments I remembered Gair and made a run for it. I crossed open areas where tiny bushes and grass occasionally burned, before arriving to the scene of fighting, but appeared I wasn't the first one to make it.

A tiny group of people stood there, talking to themselves. Some pointing and gasping for something that happened further away.  
They watched a man fight a dragon, as foolish enough they may have been. Like the event would have been some kind spectacle sport - but I understood why. Pushing myself in front of them, I felt like I wanted to help him but my mind locked on to what he had told me, so I fell under the same spell as the others.

The wings of the dragon had been severed. Red blood dripping from the gashes and pieces of skin missing, it stood on its ground. Gair avoided a hit from one of the wings and now faced the dragon himself. He seemed to fight with unexpected rage, something that I had never seen before and it was very intimidating to look at.  
Raising it's scaly head higher, eyes furiously burning, the jaws opened as the dragon tried to bite him. In that matter he did a wrong move. As the lizard sprung forward, Gair managed to stab straight its mouth, striking the neck with the other sword before the huge mass of the dragon forced him to go backwards, out of balance. Blood poured out from the mouth of the enemy, dropping down as he partially choked in it, hissing.  
At this point I became aware of my fists that were clenched together, as my heart sunk a little bit every time he defended himself from an attack. I couldn't help it.

The beast was mad. mad and desperate. In few seconds he took his head back and suddenly an orange-ish glow grew up in his throat. I felt like everything happened slow, seconds went as minutes but just before the hot fire breath released itself the valley echoed in a sound of thunder. Where other people would have seen only a one dragon up there, I saw something else. In this battle, it was a fight between two of them.

 _FO KRAH DIIN_

Cold breeze could be felt even where I stood, when the man released three words of power to inflict an ice storm over the dragon. It was powerful, more than I'd ever imagine. It didn't hit only the target, but the grass, rock and nature around the spot froze covered by frost. Even the audience felt the chill, shivering further away and I could swear the whole mood brought winter in their minds.  
I saw how Gairs body seemed to be inflicted by the use of the shout as well, but he pushed it the one last time, as the beast struggled in the pain the frost seemed to cause. It locked him down into his own battle against unmoving, paralyzed muscles. His flame had gone out.  
The Dragonborn didn't waste a second of time here and as we all stared at him in silence the man raised his sword striking one into the chest of the dragon and the other one through his eye in the skull.

It was done. The blood dragon laid dead.

When I looked back confused, I realized that almost everyone who had been around here, attacked by the dragon stood behind me. They saw the thing dead and after a moment started to walk up there driven by emotions or curiosity.

"...Can't believe it..."

"He really killed it..."

"...Dragonborn..."

The silent murmuring reached my ears but without caring about those, I rushed forward. I had to speak to Gair.  
There he was, bent down in front of the dead body on one knee, not saying a word. I stopped few feet away from him, waiting if he'd do something but nothing happened.  
"...Gair?" I stated silently. The man didn't look at me but placed his helmet on the ground so I could see his face.

Red, open gash showed itself on his arm and shoulder. It didn't look deep but bled anyways, flowing the red stream down his skin. I saw exhaustion in his eyes and without asking permissions I went down, kneeling beside him.  
"Gair, are you okay? Are you hurt? Please, tell me" I demanded placing my hand on him, as his breathing seemed to be heavier and I felt his muscles slightly trembling. As it would show, I had to be the only one interested in his well being. Every other man and woman around us just spoke to each other, staring at him and the dead dragon.

It wasn't what I expected.

Examining their faces there were many things on sight. Some had respect or type of awe in them. Some were surprised, confused or particularly admiring but out of all these people there appeared the tiny group who were doubting. Doubting or _afraid_. For some reason that made me pissed off towards them: He had just saved their lives! I frowned deep before turning my attention again to the man.

"Get away..." I heard him snarl behind gritted teeth. I just shook my head, not understanding why.

" _Get away_ from me! Now!", intensity of the phrase startled me when he briefly took a glance into my eyes and I backed up from him. Soon I understood why.  
Something there started to burn as I felt slowly growing heat up in the air. The grass melted, the skin of the dragon started turning into ash before our eyes and as fast as it started the whole thing burst into flames like a huge bonfire. The fire was so bright I had to partially cover my eyes and tiny gasp escaped my lips when the light came into our view.

White spectrum of every possible color in the world separated from the dragon as the flesh burned, a beautiful, slightly blinding mist that light up the area all around us. So very beautiful. It rose up from the body and with a sound like strong wind, blew straight into Gairs body.  
As the tiny threads of the soul reached him, his facial expression turned into something I couldn't describe. It seemed to almost take him out of breath but as every piece of it sank in, the glow centered around Gair making him look like some type of god.

Soon i realized what was happening when saw myself able to see. As the soul absorbed, every single injury, gash, bruise or any other thing he had gained disappeared. Even the one he had on his arm was gone - and not only injuries. When Gair finally stood up facing his audience for the first time, he wasn't exhausted. Everything but that. The strenght, the power of the fresh soul seemed to show on him even if all of the mist was already gone. The heat of the burning dragon hadn't affected him at all.  
The nord picked up his swords and a helmet, walked next to me inspecting me up and down.

"Shall we go?" Gair stated like nothing just happened, keeping his voice halfway down.  
As he proceeded the people stepped away from his path, creating a hallway. He just walked but occasionally I saw him watching few of the individuals there. Regardless of their joy of being saved that they expressed, they used to avoid his strict eye contact. I knew from personal experience that it could be very intense but still, not _that_ much.

We didn't have time to take more than few steps until I saw someone running at me. The little breton boy Aven skipped from his mom's hold to me and ended up hugging me with all his arm lenght.  
"Ooobs, watch it there boy" I gave him a tired laugh and ruffled his hair. He watched straight into my eyes with those brown buttons and held out a bunch of fabric that inconveniently smelled like smoke.  
"This is for you" He smiled.

"Thank you for bringing it" taking back my cloak I just smiled little bit when Gair inspected questioningly our discussion on my left. The mother of the boy came up soon enough as well.

"You are _the Dragonborn,_ who would have known such a thing. I don't how you happened to be here right in this moment, bless the Divines for that" she gasped. "You saved us, thank you. Thank you for both of you" She smiled at me at this point, I just gave her a happy nod.  
"I know the building can't be fixed so fast, but if there is any way I can help you..."

"Save your efforts lady. We have to be on our way regardless, although you could tell us the fastest way to get to Ivarstead" the man came in and adjusted the belt on his armor. She was pleased to tell him some routes and directions until he figured all had to be clear. I thought we wouldn't have been leaving so quickly but I guess in the end that would be the best. Our way led to another foresty road between the trees where I saw it further away.

Feeling exceptionally tired I figured I'd just follow Gair out of this place. The whole dragon fight thing had really stressed me out for good.

"You coming?" hearing the mans voice, I snapped out my trance making few movements by storing the cloak in it's rightful place. Before I went anywhere though, I took a look at Aven who waved me as a goodbye. I silently waved back at him.  
"See you someday kiddo"

As me and Gair finally headed on our way, leaving the people and the half destroyed Inn behind, we continued without saying a word for a long time. I wasn't sure why the tension between us occurred right now, I thought maybe neither of us just didn't have anything to say. If it's that, then why I sensed some awkwardness in it? Or was this also just me? Who knows.  
Surprisingly the nord was the one who eventually broke the ice while I stared at my feet.

"So, what's the deal with you and that kid? What did you do? I'm sorry to say this but you look terrible" he asked in apparently curious manner but gave a brief smirk during the last sentence.

"It's a long story, let's say. Nothing much really, almost _dying_ and stuff. You know, the usual. I'm fine though" besides the tiny sting every time I took a breath and the wincing sound from my lungs that appeared whenever it wanted. I wasn't over with the cough either, when he slightly chuckled at my phrase.  
"Really? If it's supposed to sound like you're fine..." Gair paused me for a moment.  
"...What's this then?"

With a fast move he grabbed my arm and I almost bent down twice as much when the tremendous pain I had tried to ignore, hit me three times harder. I swore I could have seen the entire plane of gods instead of starts and I felt I was sweating extra.  
" _Aahh!_ Idiot, it's a burn!"

"...So it would seem. It is quite bad but not the worst possible, the skin will recover mostly. Anyway I would have made a wish that you'd showed me this earlier, we can't leave injuries untreated. Don't lie to me" at this point my cheeks went red.  
Soon after he'd gotten enough holding and examining it, Gair led me to the nearest river that ran not so far from the path. He instructed me to get down nearby. The water flowed peacefully and seemed to be very clear.

"What are you..-?"

Again without asking he took my arm in a strong grip and splashed the injured part inside the water.  
I was pretty sure after this action I was literally crying without my own will. Crying and squirming. The load of hurt that radiated from the arm to larger area of my body just struck me on the face.

"AW fuck, what the hell you're doiiiiing...!" I exclaimed with shady, raspy voice.

Gair stopped me from pulling my arm away.  
"The burn needs to cool down and you wouldn't have done this without help anyway" giving me an unnoticed, all knowing wry expression he continued. "Just hold the pain, it will go down soon" I gritted my teeth and cursed some more with various death threads pointed at him.

Regardless of my grimacing, sulking and willingness to resist him, I noticed he was right enough. After about five minutes I started to feel less pain and it calmed down to be endurable. The moderately cold water helped in that matter. In few moments after he finally let me go, digging something out of one of his pouches.  
Small, red bottle with wooden cork appeared on his hand. Gair opened it, holding the wrist once more (his hand felt exceptionally warm) and dropped few drops of the liquid on top the red, wrinkly skin. Instinctively I winced, seeing that it didn't hurt after all that much.

We both stood up from the sandy ground while I shook some dirt of my clothing.  
"Should be fine now. That liquid will help the healing process - makes it faster and removes part of the pain. Nothing strange"  
I stared at my feet a while again before answering, the moment was pretty smooth.

"Gair?"

"What?"

"Thanks, that was really nice from you. I appreciate"

The man plainly ignored my words like I wouldn't have said anything, pointing out a direction to me casually changing subject.  
"I don't know if you have seen that mountain over there yet..."  
A humongous one stood in front of our view covering more than half of the sky. He thought I had to be blind.  
"...That's our destination. We're nearly on the root of it and by any luck we might reach Ivarstead today"

I laid my eyes on the shadow the Throat of World threw around. It was the biggest mountain I had ever seen, with hundreds or thousand cliffs that fell down on the sides. A big part of the mountain was covered by snow and I could make out the stormy clouds that circled around the peak: the peak that I couldn't even see. On the other side of it, there would be the monastery of the Graybeards, the masters in Way of the Voice.

And we were going there.

I hadn't thought about meeting the Graybeards in a long time. I didn't even know what to tell them, but I guessed that would be the worry of _that_ moment. Whenever it would come. Some unexplained tense feeling grew up in my stomach for reasons I didn't dare to guess and this tension wasn't a good one. The opposite.  
I swallowed by myself, thinking about the oncoming stuff.  
Better get going then I'd say.


	7. Includes humans: Serve Chilled

**_Greetings my friends, we have achieved a new chapter finally. I have to say I have a reason to take double the time than usually: you can't possibbly imagine how it feels to almost make a complete chapter and then realize that there is actually a "massive" plot hole and you rewrite more than half of it xD_**

 ** _Nice job with the story planning eh? *_** _distant claps sounding *****_

 **In any case here we are up and running.**

* * *

 ** _25th Heartfire 4E 201_**

 _Last night the darkness hung almost upon us when we arrived to Ivarstead, sourrounded by frozen mist hovering all around.  
_ _It is a tiny, sleepy town with only few buildings around, biggest one being the Inn which we spent one night repacking and collecting essentials for the oncoming climb. Multiple times I remarked that only few persons live up here besides the guard garrison, and I've already seen many pilgrims making their way up to the seven thousand steps that rise up the mountain. Comfy little place._

I recall nearly everything around here, notably when I see it and sometimes I've been curiously watching the Shroud heart barrow, hence it's the first Nordic ruin we have properly seen during this trip so far. No draugr sightings yet.

 _What comes to my injured arm it's still giving me casual problems without mentioning the burnt skin trying to peel off in parts, which makes it look very painful -_  
 _It would have been as well, if Gair wouldn't have been there to help me with his potion. Believe me when I say, it includes some pretty nasty ingredients better to not know at all. Some information has been made to remain hidden.  
Aside from this my problems were partially solved when the Inn keeper Wilhelm offered me a bandage for the burn just to not mess it with anything, fair enough as l can sleep properly now - hopefully there won't be any too massive scar incoming.  
_

 _In this day my mind keeps wandering away in ways that I don't quite understand. I've thought a lot how the little boy and his family were doing, guessing they'd be fine most likely but still after the dragon attack nothing has been exactly the same. It's a dull feeling that seems to paralyze my thoughts every time I_ _dive into them or address a matter, not so much chatty are we. Even my usual wit has ran out of power._ _Even more often than not my wonderings are somehow frequently around the Graybeards, despite how much I want to avoid the subject._

 _It all seems so close now, when we are about the climb the steps and if they really would know something about how I ended up here, or have some kind of clue how to fix everything that happened...maybe my time in Skyrim would slowly close in._

 _I even hate to admit it to these pages, but this thought is making me feel things. Things, that are not good. I know I wanted to get back home and I still do, also I have to get back somehow which is understandable and completely reasoned. Aside all that nothing good has happened to me here.  
I've been injured, in danger and heavily disliked, dragged and forced to fight for my life but then why after all these the possible upcoming events make me so uncomfortable? It shouldn't._

 _I watch Gair sitting on the other side around the table with his usual mead mug that is at least his third one. Then there is always the drunken idiot who wants to pick a fight so bad until he finally got enough and threw the coward with a piece of chicken leg. I'm just here writing and secretly smiling at all the ridiculousness._ _All the ridiculousness that I think I'd deliberately learn to miss if I were to go away._

* * *

Bitter wind blew across my face when I pulled the wool cloak tighter around my perfectly chilled body.

Gair in the other hand seemed to be fine and just marched forward like a freaking tank, which made me question if the problem was actually on me and not on him.  
Tiny layer of thin, soft snow scrunched under our boots foreshadowing tight minus degrees as the sky cleared on top of us - at least for now it wasn't snowing. The man gave me a look and took few minutes before opening his mouth.  
"You don't happen to be cold, do you?" he pointed towards a curve we started to climb, part of the ancient stairs invisible under the soil and frost layers.  
"Nope, definitely not"  
I was almost sure he saw me striving against the shivers and I cursed in my mind. We weren't even near the top yet, as I still could witness far behind the areas without snow but every inch of my soul already tried to send me a long list of _wrong direction_ messages.

"You sure?" raising his features upwards, Gair sounded annoyingly convinced and as I glanced sharp daggers at him, I made up a strong pout.  
"Yep, completely sure!"  
"...Mmm'm" the Nord let out a neutralized hum, climbing further on the path.

Conveniently right here around us had to be some other frozen as well and I'm not speaking about the environment. After minutes and minutes of friendly silence, our conversation didn't take us any longer than that and I focused myself to just resist the weather, casually keeping an eye on the Dragonborn. I knew the members of his race were practically born out of snow but seriously, the dude didn't even have a cloak and he just seemed to be busy enjoying the views, which were very high by the way. I had a bad feeling in my guts and the sound of nothing in my ears.

Eventually During the trip, the air became thinner and thinner as we ascended up. I swear, these stairs were the invention of a devil himself. Devil stairs. They forced me to realize sooner or later my thighs and calves got the most of the exertion around, and few times I felt like I got enough and told Gair to stop.

Out of breath facing the new heights I haven't used to, I found the nearest flat rock. Wiping the frozen substance away on top, I sat letting out some extra pressures from my lungs to calm down. Meanwhile my hands massaged those parts that almost cramped while admiring the sights I saw, as scary as they were beautiful. A puff of steam from my mouth faded up to the crispy air.

"I guess we could take a break" said a thoughtful voice behind me while the man folded his arms and approached closer in manner that revealed his unwillingness regardless. I wrinkled my nose at him, pretending to be offended.  
"I guess I'm not asking for your opinion", I huffed and reached out for my bag to take a piece of dried meat to bite, just having a snack. He made a wry smile that seemed to cut his face in half.  
"Bet I shouldn't expect anything else. _I guess_ "  
Cool sarcasm.

Gair drifted on the side to check out his snow covered boots. Soon it would be too cold to stay in one place but I just wanted to take a rest since I thought the Graybeards probably didn't have so much hurry on anything. They had time to wait, so I was ready to suffer few extra minutes in the freezing temperatures when I silently moved my wholesome attention at Gair.

I'm not sure if I am the only one aware of this, but continuously during these hours of climbing, all of our tries for conversation died away. All of it. It's not like we used to talk all the time anyway but when the atmosphere changes, you can't just ignore. Even to have one of the rarities that none the constant debates hadn't been occurring turned out strange, which made me uneasy. All of it was coming to be highly unusual - and I was't personally confirmed to like that.  
Everything suggested that the mountain tried to act as an huge obstacle I had to cross, in order to return the connection with him or what was left of it. Right now Gair just kind of closed himself in the way that it made me unsure if it could be happening in purpose or not.

The placidness of the moment was soon to be broken by far away wolf cry, until few other joined in the howl depicting a sound of brief sadness or threat. When I finished the meat, swallowing the last piece I slowly raised my ass from the cold seat, taking steps next to the Dragonborn. For the first time in a while I actually watched him properly and though his calm sight was directed somewhere far away from here I followed his mark. The man looked like being deep in thought. Heavy swallow went down my throat as I prepared myself for talking.

"I've had a little bit of curiosity in me recently..." I faded the last words and tried to shield myself from the blowing gust on edge of the cliff we stood together.  
"If you remind yourself of the dragon fight that happened few days ago" my thoughts started flowing. "You did a nice job out there but I was wondering one question since we left, why? _Why_ did we leave? Why so fast"  
Turning my body to face him, Gair shifted on his place giving me at last his attention. He waited briefly before answering and during that moment looked at me in the way, that transferred emotion. I just didn't know what kind of.

"I don't expect you to understand. There are as many reasons as there are people but I can tell you something" pause. "What am I?"  
The question surprised me a little, as my expression turned more into wondrous but I went along.  
"What are you? Umm, you are just _you_ maybe _?_ "  
"And that means what? What. am. I?"

"The Dragonborn", the man nodded and signed me to finally continue walking, even tho we kept going on with the discussion one stair at a time.  
"Look at all those faces from the people. See them for a moment and you realize how much they actually care" the man kept going. "If I hate something, it is pretentious bastards and that's all most of them are", regardless of the hard words I tried to be convincing to get him tell me more. Slight worry passed on to my face.  
"...but you _are_ a hero, Gair. You saved them, even if some might have bit too much to take in at one go"

A sudden flash of angry expression turned on his face out of nowhere as his eyes quickly darkened, narrowing down. It made me thoughtful on my own but I didn't have time to react to his strong voice.

"Is _that_ how you see me? Makes me wonder, how is the difference between you and all those sheeps" the man snapped and slightly tensed his walking after turning around. I caught up with him trying to get back my previous position and slowed Gair down by grabbing his shoulder before he could say nothing more.

"Please, don't get mad at me I know what you're talking about" my words launched themselves behind him. Somehow I began to figure out more of his thoughts, even if the nord never expressed them so straight forward. I realized his point of view - Gairs feelings about being a Dragonborn were damaged for one reason or another. Against everything he would've expected, I threw him a tiny smile if not so happy in first place. The last thing I wanted was to ruin this thing. I was so close.

"I don't want you to tell me anything, but I know you carry a burden and I want you to consider that you wouldn't _have to_ carry that burden _alone -  
_ It has been pretty long time since the previous Dragonborn walked on Mundus and you know how the people are. They tend to put similar things together and sometimes..."  
I had to take a break to breath as my tone went more hushed than intended.  
"Sometimes they _forget_ that even if your soul is the same, your mind is not"

The last part came out from me quietly, falling down like a feather. It made me realize, before I had done the same thing to him that I tried to express aloud and I let my own shame show up on it. I haven't been exactly much better than anyone and despite the cold my cheeks were particularly hot. Maybe I had said too much but wishing he'd catch my hidden apologize behind my words, I left the topic hang in the air as we traveled forward in the upcoming snow. The nord continued his way slightly more idle but I was unable to read his face anymore. He gave me nothing.

" _I_ am the only one to carry that burden" Gair harshly muttered under his breath and quite sparsely used the tone of his voice, giving me an unfriendly clue he'd be done talking about the current subject anymore.

"Sometimes weight of the world can be a lot for one person, no matter how brave they are"

* * *

Wading through the thick layer of snow that fell through the skies, we made it continuously forward in the dangerously closed in storm. The weather changes were uncharted in these areas and the distant wailing made a sense of desperation creep upon me.  
Throughout the traveling I had lost the track of time, unable to precisely assume how long ago it was we actually started the climb. Menacing clouds gathered all around and the raw breeze tore its way through my clothing, reminding me of no matter what I did the tiny ice particles invaded every extra space that showed skin.  
Seeing straightforward turned out to be almost impossible or at least challenging during the moderately stormy blizzard. All of it went straight through my bones.

I squeezed my arms near to the rest of my body and tried to convince myself to keep them warm. I felt eyelashes heavy from the piling frost and unconventionally also my nose hair seemed to freeze when I satisfied the need to breath. Seriously speaking I didn't even know I had nose hair, before storming through the final parts of the mountain revealed new interesting facts. We kept crossing the icy peaks, going towards uphill. Regardless of the cloak flapping behind me, my whole face burned and dried from the biting cold and just after Gair had killed one rampage wild wolf out of our way, we arrived to an icy pass. In these hours my steamy breath had become quite superficial this much high up and even the last enjoyable view disappeared within the storm.

"I'd hate to complain, but how much more do we have to walk!" I grit my teeth, exclaiming through the howling wind and frowned eyebrows at the scenery in front of us. Even Gair had some type of problems proceeding but he pushed forward.

"Just get walking!" he snarled and sped up the pace for my downfall. I fought to put more force into my muscles which battled against the humongous snow layers. Fingers on my hands were completely out of feeling besides tiny tingling, making me guess they'd soon start to turn blue. I'd be less worried if they would at least hurt.  
After a time what was forever in the frigid hell and my face wet with melted snowflakes we finally arrived to the last phase of the path. Something huge and dark placed itself up there, disappearing into the raging blizzard. Right in this spot I nearly couldn't tell if it was a day or night anymore when the whole nature tied up to be one, the same shade of gray but the scenery made me forget the storm.  
There was something truly stopping in the way the building blended into the ground and skies alike.

Above us next to a open cliff there stood a monastery built from ancient mountain stone. The high tower raising on the front and etched stone dragons carved above the giant doors, I let my gaze fall to it in astonishment. At the same moment it seemed to stand there lonely and peaceful - in the other hand again intimidating and unmoving. Something in this place evoked respect inside me. At last we had come all the way here, me for my own purposes and he for what I'd be soon finding out.

"Come on then! I'm not going to stand here whole night!" Gair scowled his voice muffled and I let him go up the stairs first, passing the lonely lantern burning behind a wooden supply chest. Without waiting any invitations he pushed the heavy, metallic door open with huge various creeks and we slipped in from the gap as quick as possible.  
When the way closed behind me abruptly everything became silent.  
My eardrums had been already used to the sounds of the storm whistling and now standing where I was only a distant drumming could reach here. The only vaque thing still reminding me of the journey was my half frozen, shaken body that conveniently received some warmth seeing the fires burning further ahead. The dark corners of the oncoming hall reeked mysterious vibes.

The Nord turned to face me before we moved anywhere from the entrance. He'd suspiciously check few times that no one happen to be in nearby range and I waited, confronting his eyes.  
"Here's the deal girl. The Graybeards won't appreciate _outsiders_ in their monastery, they won't be happy about this but since we know _your_ case is..." He turned sulking for a second. "...at least unusual I believe they will speak. Regardless your job is to wait here, I'll return with their master", without leaving me any choice I agreed to this kind of arrangement and after he left walking towards the many corridors in the other side, I took liberties to examine the place. I needed to focus on something when cold sweat showed itself on my palms and I found myself unable to stop fidgeting with the tips of my hair.

The big hall, decorated with many arcs and nordic carvings left me a lot of space to look at. I noticed the floor design, etched with familiar patterns and I recalled the twitching feeling I once experienced, when I walked into this place for the first time. As the Dovahkiin of course, where it all just made me think that in person the whole building obtained some deeper level of meaning, being so much more alive.  
The familiar tight knot slowly made it's return in my stomach and I found myself nervously pacing down on my place in front of the open room.

Around five minutes passed and my ears perked themselves when I started to hear foot steps echoing from the corridors I couldn't see. Soon enough expecting my own anxious feelings, I saw first Gair reappearing into my view. After him an old man in layered robes came down the stairs as if they'd been made of clouds and when my eyes met his, I could notice something ancient in them - different from what I've seen in the first time when I figured out Gair was the Dragonborn.  
This type of thing was calm, dormant power and as the face of the master depicted that of an elderly person, this wasn't the case of the orbs that stored the tenderness of his knowledge.

He stepped forward, staying in moderate distance as Gair stood by his side only slightly closer to me. It was clear this was all my responsibility to go through since I knew the Dragonborn only spoke for me that far, although now the current displeasure on Arngeirs face was clearly thrown against him.  
"You should know Dragonborn that we do not bring strangers to the monastery. What is this, If I may ask?", the younger Nord just laid down his eyes seemingly not offended by the question.  
"I'd advice to ask her. In my opinion, whatever she has to say might interest you" without hesitation Arngeir led his immediate attention to my side. He seemed willing to listen but all of his gentures demonstrated the need for a very valid reason.  
"I can not remember many times, when other than those worthy have stood inside our halls here. You may call me Master Arngeir" while stopping myself from feeling guilty, he continued with slightly less blaming tone of voice and lowered his head. "However, you do not stand here for nothing I assume. We do not deal with mundane business going on down there. What is it that you seek from the Graybeards, child? What is this matter that I could possible take interest on?"

Rare doubting thoughts crossed my head when I felt a spike of unpreparedness strike me but I decided to not give in for it. Making my keen sight roam in both men, I spoke aloud enough so they could clearly hear me.  
"It is an honor to meet you master Arngeir, my name is Bria" I managed a tiny bow to express my respect. At the same time, I couldn't believe that I actually spoke to a real _him_ , wanting to make the best of it.  
"I'm well aware of the customs of the Graybeards and I can convince you about the fact, that I wouldn't be here unless I really had to. The thing is I've come across a need for your help..." I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. "...or advice. Exactly what do you know about portals, master Arngeir. Portals leading from one universe to other"  
After my question, small moment of silence fell and somehow I found myself interested about Gairs reactions through this conversation. Thoughtful silence fell.

"Portals are not strange to our knowledge. The world consists of many planes and layers, but from one universe to other? I don't doubt weather a thing like that couldn't exist, in theory it is completely possible, perhaps just unheard of - but _why_ would you out of all arrive here to ask such a question for" Arngeir gently placed his hands together and examined me clearly somewhat curious now.

"For because I fell through one. I didn't exist here until some weeks ago when I accidentally met Gair" taking confidence in my position I continued "I come from a place much different than this. A place that shares the knowledge of Nírn through the times, all in books claiming _there is no such a thing_ and still here I am. My only need is to find out how to go back home and I thought, maybe you could guide me to the right direction. I may have not born here but I know more than you could think of"  
Type of surprise arose to the face of the Graybeard and I took my liberties to come closer to them. I knew they'd doubt me but when I explained what I needed, the dead serious face couldn't fail. As much as I saw, even Gair raised his brows in softer, wondering expression.

"I assure you that this is no joke"

Arngeir directed his gestures towards me.  
"By the Shor. I have to say this is not an explanation I expected. If it is true, do you have anything to prove that your claim is _real_?"  
I bit my lip while I thought about something. "Other than my knowledge, I don't have anything more, so ask me anything. Ask me something, that would be truly impossible for someone to know"

The old man remained silent for a moment until he launched his voice across the space.  
"...Tell us the name of our grand master in the Way of the voice", a flash of half smile shot from me to the Dragonborn so I could make sure he'd absorb this in, I didn't want him to miss the piece of cake I was about to shoot.

"He's called Paarthurnax and he lives in seclusion, in the highest point of Throat of the World. There is a passage to him in the back yard, protected by icy storm and it can be only opened with a _Thu'um_ to clear the skies" conveniently I didn't feel like revealing that he was indeed a dragon, as even Gair shouldn't know this and I guess I wanted to save the surprise. It wasn't the right moment and also I didn't want to get too cocky.  
After I finished my sentence, even the Dragonborn truly looked like I'd just hit him with a frying pan, hence I believed if he didn't trust my word before, now he had to. Everyone knew that there is no way I could have visited High Hrothgar to know any of this, even if I was from here, and the master of the Graybeards surprisingly turned to his side.

"I can swear to you by the gods Arngeir. I have never told her anything I know about this" the nord slowly spoke staring straight at me. The Graybeard nodded, piercing me with his sight as well.  
"This is the most curious thing I have encountered in a long time nor ever. Very wise from you to seek our help, regardless if we can provide it or not" he paused for a second. "Now you mentioned a portal but of what kind?"

Convincingly I started to explain the statistic of the way I had encountered, a round white mist showing spectrum of colors and even talking about the intense, blinding light it had created. Other than that I didn't know anything except the tiny experience of _falling_.  
"Walk with me, both of you" the old man said and waved for us to come forth. We crossed the hall, entering the dark stone corridors. Everywhere I could see hallways and open rooms, meditation places for the monks to use. The whole indoors breathed calm energy from the slumber it constantly bore.  
Arngeir led us to a cranky, wooden door that opened itself to a small library. A collection of ancient tomes and scrolls, rested on the shelves and for what I saw, few of them being written even with the Dragon tongue. Pieces of dust floated around against the light.

He picked a black old book from the middle, dusting it first before opening.  
"Tell me Bria, Are you aware what are the stars in our realm?"

"They say, stars would be..." scartching awkwardly my neck, I thought for the right name which for whatever reason I had hard time to find " _to_ Aetherius don't they?" confirming my answer, I waited for him to say it.  
"Yes. Holes, maybe you could call them permanent ruptures between this world and Aetherius. This is just an hypothesis since we really do not know anything. But due to the light you describe, it could be part of the same thing"  
My brains finally kicked in and I made sure a point, partially expression of the wonder I felt.

"Just with two ways that is" the Graybeard glanced at the Dragonborn like he'd be making some kind of conclusion how he fit in all of this and then turned once more to continue the search he made from the tome.  
"There has to be very powerful forces or a thing in work to open such a thing or perhaps the opening could be a coincidence, rupturing of the layers between spaces we do not understand. You can't know much for a fact..." Arngeir riffled the pages of the old book for a moment, clearly reading until he decided to put it back where it came from. He stated to us that the other Graybeards were already waiting and we had to make our way back to the great hall and I was devastated. Was this it?

Of all this time I didn't hear Gair speaking a word, only his expressions changed from time to time regardless of what he was thinking. While we left behind the library, closing in on the corridors Arngeir continued the phrase he hadn't apparently finished before.

"You seem very disappointed but regardless if it is a coincidence or not, I'm afraid we can't tell you how to open one of those at all. The only problem I am finding for you, even if you could manage to discover one, could very well be the World-Eater"  
My guts went sky high with this statement but this time Gair had to be faster than me and he sounded even more amazed than I would've. Not in the good way.

"What? The black dragon? How exactly is he a problem?" I saw him crossing his arms in defiance.

"That is, what I'm about to tell you Dragonborn. In ancient times Alduin possessed many powers, even doorways to other realms where he fed. As the first born of Akatosh, he is much more strongly tuned in the currents of time than any other dragon, hence he is capable of sensing many things. I'm afraid even if you had an access to such portal, you would risk getting yourself devoured. Even as an alive person, stepping straight into his way would be..." His eyes sparkled in manner that almost seemed amused if I didn't know otherwise. "...foolish"

I swear my brain tissue turned one hundred and eighty degrees into the back of my head right there. I couldn't believe it. I just couldn't.  
The fact was another that they didn't practically have a clue how to get me back home but even if I had a way, a black scary lizard is by any chance about to eat me. How great is that.  
For the first moments, I didn't even know how to feel or what to think anymore and my mind dropped somewhere between numb and melancholy. Legs took me ahead like an undead, as I grew silent trying to hide my face.  
The whole trip I had made so far to here for what? Hell, even climbing the mountain wasn't easy but currently for now I couldn't have much time for sentimentality, when I saw all the other three Graybeards lined up in the middle of the designed floor pattern. They seemed very receptive but otherwise avoiding my individual presence in the chamber, unlike Gairs. Conveniently I left myself on the stairs out of the way, listening but still very non-focused. The only thing I saw were the individual shapes of the people, leaving my mind blank like I just wanted to extract myself from this universe.  
I felt a piece growing up in my throat.

"So...have you done as I told you to?" the master of the Graybeards addressed Gair, who calmly stood in front. He gave him a deep nod, while I barely heard what would happen next. In this point I had a feeling I'd gain an information I asked myself long ago, if nothing else.  
"I did" he answered without any particular emotion, sour as a lemon.  
"Without demonstration, your abilities should be enhanced in proper length by now but this we will find out. I have only one mission for you to complete in our tradition, it will finalize your official training. Go to the tomb of Ustengrav where lies the first founder of the Graybeards, Jurgen Windcaller. Retrieve his horn and bring it here"

"Is this the thing you discussed with me before? As you wish master but could you explain me one thing?" Gair tapped the hilt of his sword impatiently.  
"Wouldn't it be possible for you to teach me more words of power by _yourself._ It's not like my enemies just wait for me to be ready, as you would put it", shaking his head Arngeir gave a clear answer.  
"Even with your inborn abilities, it would be tremendously dangerous to grow your powers too fast without earned experience. The most important thing you need to focus now on is the task ahead and nothing else"

He certainly noticed the dislike coming from the younger nord but stayed his mind as it was.  
"What comes to you both, you may stay a night in here as you are. After that, Gair you know what to do and please if you wouldn't bring anymore visitors"

Deep sigh reached me.

I couldn't help but to notice that the relationship between Gair and the Graybeards was very platonic. He had respect for them like I'd never seen before but in the other hand he was like a delivery boy for their tasks and Arngeir insisted in perfect preciseness - although what else could you expect. Anyway something there was missing, something that I couldn't point my finger at.  
Eventually he dismissed himself, dragging me alongside to the end of the back corridors possibly a bit more moody than usual. There were small circle stairs leading down and beneath that leverage a room that he pointed to me. I took a fast step ahead and pressing down the old, rusted handle I entered the place seeing a bed, a tiny stone table with a drawer and that was pretty much it besides an old carpet.  
Not exactly sleeping beauty style.

It had taken me a while to realize my own tiredness from today. We had been climbing the mountain, the steps and I could swear my legs were in the peak of giving in, now that I came to be in absolute calm environment. I had no need to be active hence I should see how well we move tomorrow, _we_ being me of course. In over exhausted manners I laid my ass on the bed, just staring somewhere down to nothingness. Remark number one: the Graybeards clearly didn't trust me. While I didn't wonder why, there had to be things they weren't telling and this made liquids boil in my brains.  
Coming all the way here to hear half truths wasn't in the list of my appreciation, when they wiped away my most of my chances with nothing to replace it with.

I wasn't aware if I actually expected some kind of solution to my problem but now when I finally didn't have any, it all meant very little. As much as I wanted, it became impossible to push back all the feelings I had piled up somewhere inside me. Being occupied all these days with other things always distracted me from the facts, whatever piece of a task had always been there to make sure I didn't. think.

Now I found myself missing my home to be mentioned here. My thoughts reached properly everything that I had left behind for the first time and fear passed through my troubled mind. A fear that I had forced away for weeks.  
I was so very afraid, that I would never find a way to get back again and now it all sunk in like a titanic after hitting the ice berg. My ice berg was right here, they didn't have answers for me. No one in this world would have. Somewhere out there I had a life and one day a portal threw me away from it - for that place I had disappeared god knows how long and I painted a picture of police looking for a missing girl who would never turn out.

My eyes blinked twice, feeling something wet between my eyelashes as tight force pressed my chest inwards. All the feelings in me went full tornado between sadness, doubt and anxiousness.  
Leaning on my knees with elbows I became vaguely aware from the corner of my eye, how the man just stood in the middle of the room clearly watching at me. He had done something with our stuff, placing it around but I had missed the whole moment just by drowning myself in it.

"How are you doing?" leading the down toned question at me, Gair slowly placed himself next to me. I only shook my head a little, biting my lip.  
"I'm fine...I just" couldn't find words for it while trying to look okay. I held back tears in the best of my ability. "I was thinking. That's all"  
The nord removed his sight from me, guiding it to the same spot I personally tried to murder with mine. I heard him take a heavy breath before he started again.  
"That's funny because I would say we we're doing the exact same thing then" half grin rose to his lips for whatever reasons. "I may not know either how to open mysterious portals, but I might have something else that could help you, or at least get you forward on it"

Without essentially listening at his words, something random happened to me and for a second my sadness turned to fire and I punched my fist to the mattress so hard that it got my arm shaking.  
"Even the Graybeards don't trust me, what is wrong with everyone and everything, I never asked to be in here!" I snapped, refusing to contemplate anything I was told. Surprisingly Gair immediately answered in firm manner without confusion out of my mood swing.  
"I never asked to be in here either, but by whatever will of the gods I am. Remember what you told me about people? You out of all should know that the Graybeards go only to their extend. Don't lose all hope just yet" somewhat sulking but listening, I questioned his words and straightened my posture.

"How?" was the only distracted word that I could say in this minute. The man gave me few reassuring taps on my shoulder and showed me a hint from a smile.

"It is simple really, if you think about it. _We_ just need to find a way to stop Alduin from doing whatever he's doing"  
" _We_ need to?" I stated with strong sarcasm that started to be way less depressing compared to my previous sentences. "What was that, did I hear correctly?"  
"Well, I could possibly need some help from a tough girl like you, since you seem to be _almost_ fire proof. Comes handy"

A bunch of unplanned chest laughter burst out of me and I finished it with a smirk that eventually faded away. I discreetly wiped my eyes and still somehow I saw my attitude lifting up little by little.

"Since you put it that way" I tapped my cheek couple of times while pretending to think hard. "I guess I could accept, you know. Although there is one condition..."  
"I am intrigued to find out what could that possibly be" Gair transferred a glance at me.

"I am so not going to sleep in the same bed with you. You snore like a dragon", entertained chuckle snorted from his direction as the Dragonborn corrected his position an inch and made a mischievous face.  
"Ooh, so that's the only reason and otherwise you _would_? Have fun on the floor" He dramatically finished "...or better stop me from snoring then" Hilarious.  
"My god, how dare you! Yes I will stop you, I'am going to choke you with this pillow", like a lightning I threw the cushion at him and it bounced from his back to next to the wall.

Tiny calm second broke our moment when we just ended up being there, sensing a slight awkwardness sneak by. Eventually I was happy to let the situation go down and without saying anything else I went up, going to grab the rest of the food from the bag I had. We had gotten new supplies from Ivarstead so no one would have to starve here. I figured the man decided to keep lazy today, so from his usual request I passed him his portion of meat and cheese. Some thoughts occurred in my mind now that the worst situation was over - I was really going to do this.  
I had to go along with him and the the other side of the full-lenght plan was that he actually let me.

Thinking outside the box, mostly I found this adjustment far more pleasant than I'd have imagined and it wasn't only because this man happened to be my only chance of returning. Might be true I got upset but now I had a reason to manage that and regardless even with all the bad, shady moments with Gair I slowly started to like his company.  
Only sometimes obviously. Not always, definitely not always that is crazy, he still annoys the hell out of me. Like that time he stepped on my toes in a cave.

While munching away I picked up my own journal to focus myself at something. I had been writing nearly everyday something, some days more and some less. In any case the whole recording of my own brain activity started to form as an habit that I gladly did. While fiddling few broken pages here and there, Gair casually started to remove his armor one strap at a time. He went all the way down to take off everything except his pants and the sleeveless, dirty shirt he kept under it eventually dropping down onto the bed like a Scandinavian hunk.

"You've been hassling around that book for days now. What are you keeping that junk for?" insisting voice asked while Gair - ah so manly - stuck his feet in a cross position. Swallowing a piece I kept my attention down but answered him intentionally.  
"This _junk,_ happens to be something that is really not your business but I write in it"  
"Write what exactly?"  
"Stuff! What part of _not your business_ you didn't get?" I rolled my eyes at his tough head, deciding to put away my work for good. After the final time of checking my bandage I managed to do the similar removal of clothing. At least it wasn't much warm anywhere, so I was more than capable of sleeping with them on and besides of what I said before: we didn't have any other choice but to sleep in one single bed. Unfortunately.

In positive sides the mattress seemed to be larger than normal size for one person, so plainly ignoring the nord and taking comfy positions, I blew out the candle and placed myself somewhere on the edge, facing emptiness.

Time passed.  
Moments went forward like a slow forest river with my personal train of thoughts. As much as I tried and as much as my muscles relaxed, I eventually couldn't bring myself to sleep. Even with the exhaustion, I had to be always so close but at the same time so far and the slumber just refused to occur. The only thing I could hear on my other side was the calm breathing of the man who definitely had fallen asleep already a long time ago.  
Frustration tortured my body and for my own good invented a decision to boil in my mind. I carefully placed my bare feet on the cold stone.

As quietly as possible I snuck to get the candle leftovers and quickly throwing my blue tunic on, I made my way in the dark to the door. This one was tricky to get open without making too much noise and sudden sharp creek made me cringe. From outside in the corridor there burned a torch where I lit my candle while finding the stairs up, the same stairs we came down. Steeling my place memory, I continued with the task on hand now completely alone.

In the middle of the night High Hrothgar was creepy, didn't have other word for it. Creepy and ghost like. It's not like there were so many light sources in general but in triple dark everything turned to this shadow festival, which made my guts turn around every time I came across any kind of statue. The tiny candle flickered in the breeze as my light steps made an echo.

While wandering around I almost lost myself in the endless passes until finally the light hit the correct door. The same wooden door we'd crossed before with Arngeir. Library door.  
Turning my gaze around, I listened if I would hear anything outside of normal but when the way seemed to be clear I pulled the handle. Slipping in, the old library opened in front of me and I knew exactly what I was looking for.  
Quickly moving in front of the first shelf I started to read through titles and scrolls to figure out which one was the book Arngeir looked up before. I had mentioned before that the Graybeards didn't trust me - even if now I knew about the possible danger, I wanted to take the matters in my own hands.

"Hmm, maybe this one" I muttered and stood on my toes to reach a compact, gray book with fabric covers. It was less heavy than you'd have expected comparing to the size and the pages were slightly yellowish indicating some aging. After going through few pages though, I found out for my disappointment I had grabbed the wrong book. This one had many things written in Dragon tongue instead, which I didn't have time to check up.  
Without giving up I just continued searching, running my finger across the covers in halfway. I swear I saw it around here.

"The one you are looking for is in the upper shelf", raspy voice floated in my ears from the doorway and I spun around in shock. Nearly dropping the candle my whole body jumped, startling myself. Arngeir stood in front of the door, his hands united under the robe and his face motionless. I only stared at him in unsettled way, realizing I was very much caught in action. Somehow it didn't feel that much bad as I had expected afterwards.  
"I would advice though, that there probably won't be anything else interesting for you" he continued stepping completely inside the stone arch confronting me but I refused to be intimidated by him.

"I know you don't exactly fancy me here Arngeir" pressing my lips against one another I straightened my back. He just placed his head down with a gleam in his eye corner.  
"Stubborn as I suspected, you're well acquainted with the Dragonborn. Should I also suspect that your impossible knowledge extends far more than just names and places hm? Trust doesn't come by with that"

I made a wry expression, approaching the Graybeard few steps as if to make a statement.  
"The things I know are not something I should discuss, besides I am not exactly in need of your trust but it would make me very annoyed if you happened to keep any information that could possibly help me"  
Arngeir raised his hands in defense and against the odds, the other corner of his mouth raised upwards for a second. I glenched my fists together as his eyes seemed darker in the dim lighting.

"Do not take any offense in my words child, as they weren't meant that way. The only advice I'am able to tell you, that by great chances you are _yourself_ the best advisor you may have. Perhaps you know more than any of us - where does it take your conclusions? Perhaps you were meant to arrive here and it is up to you to discover why"  
As an response I shook my head,my arms crossed across my chest. Pacing around for few steps in impatient manner I gave my all to it.  
"I'm sorry, not sorry but I don't have time for this nonsense. I know exactly how I feel and whatever I have to do I'll figure it out eventually. For now, I do what I must"

"Don't we all. That I never doubted" the Graybeard stated, glancing around until the peaceful quietness broke by his word. "As it is time for me to part ways now, you have four hours until dawn. Good night and good luck" Arngeir made an absent minded wave and hummed silently before I saw the back of his robes disappear into the embrace of the shadows once more. I was left to stand on my spot shivering, alone and in silence but even more determined than before.  
If nothing else I knew I wasn't leaving empty handed now.


	8. Way finding

"Are you sure it's here?" I hissed from behind a tree, pressing my body against the trunk with all my weapons drawn out while hearing the bark scratcing against the leather. Gair threw himself behind the other one and grimaced, wiping a trace of blood from his sleeve which wasn't his own of course.

"If I was completely sure we wouldn't be hiding behind a tree now would we?" I heard a silent, impatient groan coming out of him as the nord swayed looking extremely annoyed. Gair breathed more loud than usually and he seemed very tense judging by his facial expression, where he didn't happen to the be only one. We both turned to spy on a ragged looking man, trailing on his way around the river bend.  
"You've got to be kidding me, another one of those? I've had enough of this nonsense" with this down toned exclamation he started to push himself through the branches as I stood my ground in shallow devastation. I tried to grab his chlothing.  
"What! No, wait we don't know anything! - you are _not_ goin...- "

Like always the nord just ignored my lecturing, once more giving me no other choice but to follow on in his mindless rampage. A bit further away the man in question stood by on guard, seamlessly looking like a casual wanderer. Unfortunately for him we knew better than that. With all the attire he wore I recognized him to be part of the same gang we'd found earlier and none of them wanted to tell us who and where is Talah Jateel. Either that or they didn't know. Speaking of which right now this poor person out there had to be the target of frustrated, pissed off Dragonborn and I nearly felt pity for him. Wouldn't wish that fate to my worst enemy.

Making myself run after, I managed to reach him right when the man stormed over the person who had exactly three seconds to turn around. His eyeballs went backwards in the sockets out of a shock. The nord grabbed the front of his brown, ripped tunic pressing the cold blade over his neck.  
"Where are the rest of you? Speak!" he growled at the terrified person who stuttered half because of the surprise and half of the reasons which are obvious. Young, brown skinned man just shook his head wide eyed.  
"They're, they're not there a-anymore" he squealed and as he was not much of a fighter at all besides owning one single dagger. Gair just threw him on the ground to make him pressed to the tip of the weapon. Personally my worries were elsewhere and I was nervously looking around until I tightened my face and quickly approached the Dragonborn with some wild hand gestures flying around.

"Seriously! I have a bad feeling about this, can you quit smugging that poor man?"  
The nord darted his attention on me for a second, making furious face by squinting his eyes and I saw the deep wrinkle forming around his forehead.  
"And then what! If you think -"

"STEP AWAY FROM HIM!" third voice entered the party. As I spun around I found ourselves being pointed with a wooden long bow and arrow, while a second female joined the coarse, dirty looking man. Neither of them were properly armored but I didn't care about that: I cared about the fact that now things started to escalate way too much. As in an instinct my hands had already readied my weapon and I stood there in a stance.  
Giving a nudge to Gair I expressed some frustration by whining.

"Now look what you did, I tried to warn. If you didn't rush in like that we wouldn't have to kill more people. Why you never hold on with anything!"  
"If you _think_ you have any better way solving this thing then be my guest" the man murmured switching angry looks with our pursuers.  
"Oh I could have figure out few. Really, why don't you ask yourself why are we in this situation anyway or what _?_ If you'd have just asked for directions in the first place-"

"...And since we don't have any _precise_ directions, If you had ideas then why you didn't just _say_ so!"  
"Holy shit, you never listen to me" I screamed at his face halfway about to punch the closest thing possible with my closed up fist. His nose.

I was vaguely aware that more than one person changed quickly from aggressive to confused as we only seemed to argue among each other. It didn't happen on purpose that much I can say, but eventually would provide to be useful. Regardless of all the fuss, I noticed Gair had kept an eye for them and as he gave me a nod I knew this for a sign.  
Taking a sprint sideways I avoided the arrow that the shooter didn't have time properly to aim and the first throwing knife left from my waist and hit the shoulder of the archer who yelped in pain dropping his bow.  
It wasn't exactly where I aimed for but I felt a spike of regret slide through my spine since hurting actual people made me too much self conscious. I tried hard not to think about it.  
The woman with the swords ran and attacked Gair who pretty easily disarmed her with few strikes and put her on her knees, folding her arms behind back. She let out an angry moan but it was clear these people had quite contradictory skill level.

As the archer I'd hit with the knife did his best to remove it with one big pull, I turned to see how the man we previously tried to smug for information scrawled away from us, making a run for it. Gair switched looks between the other two and him.  
"Catch that scrawly bug! I am taking care of these two" he yelled and I had to be instantly on it.

Stretching my muscles for a full speed sprint I made my best to reach the runaway. Hoping my general self had enough endurance to make this, I cursed the lead he had. The chase could have been proven to be much more difficult unless in the middle of his planned escape he wouldn't have stumbled to his own feet. Coming across this event I managed to get hold of him after my boots took a slide on the sand and I threw myself on top of the person with all my weight.

If you have ever tried to hold anyone in place it is surprisingly hard when you weight less than the actual subject but before I received any hit on my face I pulled out a new knife to help me. The man stopped squirming when I placed the spike near his throat.  
"Stop making this any harder and I'm letting you run. I can assure you, he wouldn't do it. Where. Is. Your. hide out?"

I saw him nearly eat the dust and grimace while I pushed his head back down.  
"It's on the other side of the river! You will see it from on top of the hill..." He took another breath. "Find a wooden shack, but you will waste your time" I stood up from his back, dusting my hands and still strongly panting from the run. My heartbeat banged against my chest.  
"Your mom wasted time when she made you. Now get away with it!" I snapped, leaving him behind as assuming the short man decided to continue with his escape while screaming something about crazy people.

As for myself I saw as an better option to get back to the Dragonborn and soon enough I found him about to spear the guy I had once thrown at. His shoulder bled and the front of his tunic had been colored red - looked more serious than it probably was.  
"Stop! Don't kill them, we have what we need" coming in with the remarks, the eyes of the pair stopped on me full on fear. Gair in the other hand stayed his blade, raising an eyebrow at me.

"They goin' to come back unless I do"

Crossing my arms in sassy manner I gave them a smile.  
"Are they?" I casually asked. Both the man and the woman shook their heads but didn't say anything probably due to the situation. I let out a sigh.  
"Come on, I said we have what we need. You don't need to slaughter everything we cross paths with"  
The Nord tightened his expression for a second but eventually gave up and tossed the person in front of him away. They both scrambled on their feet and without further word disappeared into the woods, most likely going after the previous one. I still felt bad for the archer though. Gair sheathed his sword, staring at me various moments.

"So you know the place now?", he clearly doubted me. As a response I just tugged him after me.

"While you were busy trying to execute those people, I actually got an answer. It's just a broken shack we're looking for. I am not even sure what kind of group is this"  
Pointing out the tiny hill beside a grass field I balanced on the rocky terrain while taking jumps to climb upwards in between. Pushing spiky plants away I stayed on the top where slight breeze blew over us and searched for any signs of the place.  
"Should be around there" tracing my hand across the stream area I furrowed my brows.

Gair stepped up next to me placing his boot on a rock.  
"You don't happen to mean _that_ shabby little..." he scratched his chin that already grew slightly more beard than I was used to. "...thing down there"  
As I turned my gaze to the direction he went down for without asking, I thought I saw the same thing but it couldn't possibly be that could it? When the nord had already gotten half way there, I slid down along the surface to reach him.  
Without saying any other word we came next to the flowing stream. Tiny waves splished against wet stones as the brownish water went forward beneath our feet. Searching for a nice place to cross I came along a grass island that let me hop through. The man gracefully followed by partially wetting his left shoe tip.

Soon enough the building we had been looking all along revealed itself - or what was left of it. Something that used to be a house long time ago, left behind almost half of the floor and one broken, single wall that stood there covered by vines. The nature appeared to take back what was made out of it. Leading my unsure steps on the weak, creaky wood my sight landed on one lonely chair sat in the corner of the ruin.

" _This_ is the famous hide out we're talking about?" The nord came over expressing a bit less amused tone of voice. As I placed my hands on my hips, I kicked away few fallen branches. "I swear if you let yourself be scammed again..." with a tremendous eye roll I protested by friendly maneuver and made my way towards the chair.  
"First of all I wasn't scammed" I stated while pulling up an old trapdoor from the floor. "And second of all, I haven't been scammed not even once before. Your argument is invalid"

The black, opened square shaped hole in front of my feet shuffled up a strong scent of dirt. It reminded me of a cellar but due to the day light we couldn't see too much, before Gair violently demanded my place and pushed me out of the way to enter the downstairs himself. Adjusting my equipment I lowered myself in order to ascent pair of wooden stairs, surprisingly realizing that the cellar didn't happen to be completely dark.  
Taking the last hops into the cold and dusty environment I was greeted by line of torches attached to the crooked walls. Now I could really start to examine around, only to see that the so called cellar wasn't a cellar at all.  
It was a room, leading all the way to other numerous rooms and the space we were currently in was the largest of them. I slowly walked forward and got startled by a bottle accidentally kicked down.

Gair had already proceeded to research the actual objects around and the first noticeable one was a distinctive stall with metal bars in front. The man stomped around the counter to see what was in there.

"Now I know who or what are these people. This is not any regular place you see around" Gairs rough voice echoed from behind the bars where he stood reading a huge leather book. I bent down to take the bottle I had previously kicked in my hand and swirled it, letting out a chestful of air.  
"It's a drug den" I said clarifying what he was already about to say. "That's why they attacked. You went around charging at their members and they thought you were some kind of official or mercenary about to expose them. Otherwise they wouldn't have fought back"

The man cleared his throat.  
"Maybe that's also the reason why they left. Let's see if there is anything in here, seems too quiet" he drifted towards the doorway and as always, I followed. At first there were no one. Against expectations this crack house remained empty and silent as it had been from the beginning, and we both started to slowly make the assumption that It was abandoned for good at least right now. In a second thought if they were afraid of being exposed, information travels fast between them I'd reckon.

When we reached deeper parts of the den, the other main corridor seemed to be flooded with some water puddles and my steps splashed on the occasional mud. As we slowly separated in the process, I found many things left as they were when someone still used them. Tables and pots and simplified toilets with bowls full of bottles or wrapping papers. The area for common people had been separated into individual doorless stalls that were equipped with the most basic things, starting with thin blankets to act as certain kind of bed.

The smell around was terrible and few times it made me hold back throw up reflex. Odors from certain body products mixed with something smoky etched on the walls couldn't possibly be the most pleasing scent you have ever encountered - putting it mildly but the whole combination made me recall few things.

"Here! I found someone!" I suddenly heard Gair yelling from few stalls forward and turning on my heels I hurried up to him. Indeed, there recided the only person in the house, thin male redguard laying on the floor. His eyes were barely closed with nasty looking scar going across his face from chin to forehead and he looked unconscious.  
Quite before anyone started to form any kind of plan out of nowhere, he took one big gurgling breath. What a surprise, we wouldn't have a dead body in our hands at least yet.

I started to feel uneasy.

"You don't think that's the man we're looking for" the man next to me asked. "If that's the case he is not doing too well" he said keeping his acquainted eyes on the person whose limbs started to twitch as he'd tried to move and at that point I decided to stop wondering around. I had to check his situation.

"He could very well be. Oh no, this is not good at all..." my words faded away when I shook my head and jolted up to him, kneeling down. Gair held the handle of his sword, standing there like a deer in headlights.  
"What now? What are you doing?" he asked in weird manner. I examined the man and turned him quickly on his right side, lifting slightly his body with my arms. A huge groan came out of him as white foam started dripping out, the one that had blocked his throat and I knew the situation was worse than just unconsciousness.

"Dumpass, haven't you seen an overdose before? If you want your map it's not on him, we need to do something fast or there won't be any" I spoke through tightened lips and pressed fingers on my temples to try to think what to do. The possibilities were much limited in this damn cave and also according to the smell he had peed his pants at some point.  
I placed myself over the redguards head and slapped his cheek while speaking with as much strong voice as I could.

"HEY dude, you awake? Can you hear me? Did you drink or smoke?" exclaiming I tried to keep his minimal attention.  
"Hello person, DRINK OR SMOKE!" as I gave him few more aggressive slaps when his eyes tried to open but obviously he couldn't say anything. Grunting like an animal he managed to do some kind of movement towards the left corner, succumbing again to the abyss.

I bit my lip so hard it gave me pain as I gave up the tries to wake him and started pacing around.  
"Okay, okay..." pacing. "what next" I paced few steps more when I came to face few interesting things. In the corner of his dirty stall I saw again bottles and I dove in to take one. Shoving it quickly into Gairs face, I spoke.  
"Just making sure. What is this? Is this Skooma?"

The Nord examined it fast while looking at me in some kind of wonder.  
"Hell of a sure it is..." he shook his head. "But how you think you can you help him?" he expressed a type of mistrust.  
"Alright. I am just going to assume he drank it, it's a bottle. Otherwise he could be a goner. Usually this is going otherway 'round but please do as I say. Find me charcoal, moderately clean bucket or bowl and fill it with drinkable water"

"Why would you possibly need -"  
"Just _do_ it dammit!" pointing away in some direction he surprisingly got the message when I rather aggressively made him move and jogged to fill up my order list. Meanwhile I went back to the shaking individual. I turned him around once again and preparing to use some force I pulled him a bit up. Folding my arms around the mans abdomen I casually cursed the weight pressing me down while I formed a plan that had to be done. Disgusted grimace spread on my face. I didn't come all this way for nothing did I.

"You're one lucky dude if you come out of this and I need an extra holiday. Let's get that stuff out what's left of it"

For the possible audience I have only one statement: I hope you never have to force anyone to throw up. Talking also about the fact that it is indeed very dangerous to put your hand in someones mouth, humans have much more potential in those jaws than anyone could think. As I severely hoped he wouldn't bite my fingers off, I gave some force around his stomach to expulse whatever was in there, being more or less successful in my attempt. Warm substance flushed down and I turned my eyes away from it before the Dragonborn finally arrived with his findings.

He wasn't a person to be easily disgusted by anything. He wasn't now either but something gave away he might not have liked to be in my position. Downing the patient back to lay down I took some breaths to stabilize myself and grabbed the water.  
First thing I washed his face and my hand. After this the charcoal happened to be again the thing I needed, so I went for it and under the watch of Gair I crushed the coal searching for the most rounded bits.  
"Well..." I stated. "here goes nothing", holding the head of the man higher I went to force those bits down his throat by giving it few rubs. Fortunately barely conscious person is not much of a resistance, so after I made sure he swallowed what I gave him. The next step would concern the piece of useless fabric laying on the floor.  
Shredding those apart with another knife I dipped them into the water and the rest of my task would just consist keeping him at least moderately hydrated and wiping some sweat away. Crossing fingers that this man would eventually clear from it, regardless I made a decision to let the situation calm down an inch since I had now done everything I could.

With dirty hands and a rash on my pants I stood up giving the whole event some space. I felt a sweat drop forming on my forehead and wiping that away with slightly shaky hands I just glanced at the nord.  
"Now we will wait. Nothing more I can do to help him" my own speech somehow came to sound much more menacing than intended, as I almost felt some headache creeping up. Somehow nervous silence fell around us as I subtly avoided Gairs eye contact.  
"I think I'll go outside to fill up my flask..." as I reached the middle of the bleak sentence, my feet were already taking me away. I nearly bumped on the man while passing from the doorway. I expected he'd be capable of watching out the sitch on his own.

Dragging behind the bag with me, I took myself back from the dirty corridors and wooden floors to the steps we came in. The trapdoor opened with a heavy push and I climbed up, facing once more some day light filtering from behind a thick wall of clouds. Weird shivery feeling went down my spine and I kept figuring out stuff for my hands to do to keep them busy. Even if it was only the water flask on my hand, I fiddled it nervously around when I found my way back to the river.

The shore line was broken. Some birds nest showed up in the nearby tree where I kneeled down to sink the container in the cool mountain water, and as it flushed over skin my tense muscles relaxed all over. All those little details like the bubbles in the liquid, the wooden sticks floating along the stream somewhat seemed to make certain peacefulness spread around. Finally closing the tap I placed the container near me and decided to sit down right there. just to linger in the moment a little bit more: picking up a flat stone I threw it sideways onto the water seeing it splash few times before sinking.

There I was surrounded by everything and at the same moment nothing. I let my mind sink into a pool of thoughts. How much of a coincidental things had happened to me so far, I quietly wondered why I was here.

Without knowing how much I had spent sitting there, soon after some undefinable amount of time I could make out footsteps crashing behind me, progressively becoming louder. Even without looking back I knew Gair had appeared, which was confirmed when the figure of a man approached near me and left himself leaning on a tree with one shoulder. We both remained as we were.  
"I found his name from the ledger. He should be Talah Jateel but I never guessed he'd own a dealing den. Very nice profits" the nord simply demanded crossing his arms. I just shook my head and shrugged, letting hardened gaze focus on nothing in particular.  
"In the other hand" he said. "He seems to be getting over the worst of it"

Another silent moment passed and I felt eyes on my back, before he proceeded to find a rock nearby and sat next to me with heavy drop. Somehow my back bone already told me he would speak so I didn't bother starting on any conversation.  
"You wouldn't care to explain what happened down there?" He took a stone casually throwing it like I had done before. "By the look of it, this is not the first time you have been in similar situation. Haven't seen you that much determined on anything"

Slowly watching at Gair I decided to give him my best mysterious smile with a wink.  
"We all have our skeletons in the closet, don't we?" stating that I noticed he wouldn't avoid me but dropped all restrain after the phrase. My hand held my left wrist as I continued speaking in more serious manner.  
"It is not any secret at all really, just a thing I haven't thought about in a long time. You see..." I paused to take a breath. "I kinda used to do drugs"

The Dragonborn stared straight into my eyes for a second and then leaned on his knees.  
"Excuse me, you? _You,_ did drugs? You out of all people?" Some kind of amusement rose up on his face and I playfully hit his shoulder with my fist.  
"No kidding. That much hard to believe from me?" Raising my eyebrows I just watched how he gave one of those manly chuckles but seemed to slow down afterwards.

"My judgment wouldn't exactly place you in that category. What happened with this particular surprise?" he started in friendlier manner if you can call it that. I hummed a short while thinking what to say but went on with it.  
"I have to let you know this all happened some years back, so it's fine. There happened to be surprisingly involved one person, a boy" I paused intentionally. "I was around sixteen when I met Toby. I can't even say at my defense that I had somehow bad or tragic life - nothing like that actually. I don't have a sob story. Instead I guess I happened to be extremely bored and things just wen't wrong. A lot so"

As I searched for words in this short moment I noticed how the man actually claimed some focus on what I was telling. One of the rarest times when I didn't get interrupted and I almost liked it. His intense eyes just stared at me and I raised my mouth corner to resemble a smile that wasn't a smile at all.  
"We used to take care of each other and I don't mean only me and him, there were others. Few times someone got too much carried away and since drugs are illegal, calling up...umm" tilting my head I wiped my hands on my pants. "...healers wasn't coming to question. I used to help many during that year"

"Everything went well for some time in my own opinion, I never planned to quit - probably I even couldn't until I almost died"

"Your family never found out?" the Dragonborn asked with certain confidence. I nodded and continued, feeling easier about the topic than before.  
"Eventually they did. It's funny thing how really often you are blind to the real value of things, until you're about to lose them. I'm aware I let them down many times but our relationship just wasn't the greatest so what I did, I did it for myself"

Gair slowly rose from his seat looking like he'd be about to do something.  
"You're not the only one in that matter", when he turned around I saw him offering his hand to me. I took it, letting his strength help me up from the ground.  
"What were they like? Your family?" I asked, while without further explanation both of us naturally decided it started to be proper time to return to the den. My mind went through the redguard once more, I should check on him. You can never be too careful on these things.

The mans eyes looked down for a second before answering. Whatever melancholy had struck him, it faded fast away like it never existed.  
"Very different from what you'd expect. They got left behind for a reason"

Gair was generally a tough person to get much details out of, but whenever he shared absolutely anything there were always signs that told me he had said enough. I ended up respecting his personal silence so when we headed back, I happened to say one last thing that came into my mind before.

"You see, the day I barely recovered from that overdose changed things. I had to find something else to do so I started to read" glancing around I subtly wiped my nose. "That's how I discovered all my information about this whole world. It let me transport my mind away and mentioning about transporting, I think I got a bit more than I asked for" I laughed a little to enlighten the mood and through the field, found the way slowly back to the shack. The man just seemed inspect me before he even slightly snorted at my phrase.  
"Lucky you, it seems" he stated with a hint of sarcasm, giving me a way to go in first.  
"Define luck!"

Peering down I slid back and got to see the man who Gair had conveniently found a better spot to lay on, away from dirt. It also allowed us to find comfier places to hang out. Still I continuously had to agree that everything in here was either more or less disgusting, but taking my mind away from that I continued to make sure the dozed person had enough water. His poor organs were screaming for help.

Exhaustingly dropping my ass somewhere next to a wall, I leaned my head against it and closed my eyes for a second only listening the vague shuffling around.  
Somewhere in the side Gair moved some piece of chair to sit on, as he mumbled under his breath something not too much fancy. It was all too real thought that we'd be stuck here until the redguard would awake and as I felt myself, I would do a major exit when that happens.

"How long are we going to wait? I am _not_ staying in this rat hole the whole night" the man complained rather loudly accompanying his statement with corresponding body language as I opened my left eye to check on.  
"Technically, you could have avoided the whole waiting in the first place" I said correspondingly flat. He just laid back on his seat, putting on a quirky face.  
"Yes, I know already all about that don't I since you keep _reminding_ me"  
"I'm reminding that you have no brains whatsoever"

I banged my head back on the planks. Many things down here were nerve wrecking but as we passed time, it became more and more complicated to figure out things to do. In the span of few boring hours I found myself a spot to fall asleep for few secs, it never hurt anyone. The quality of the sleep though with this stench floating around and hard wood under me couldn't be the best. Around every twenty minutes I woke up for whatever reason like the leg that fell asleep when I sat on it.  
I shifted on my place.  
Darkish environment cheated my eyes when I properly looked around for the next time. I had no idea where Gair had relocated himself meanwhile, I couldn't see him anywhere around but before I reacted to anything my ears heard something. Tiny shuffling and thumping came from near the stairs, making me jump and I turned my sharp, fixed gaze in that direction. With no idea how much time actually passed Talah Jateel looked like he was about to wake up and with some fast tracked, swoopy steps I moved myself next to him.

The man groaned, opening his eyelids with slow and painful movements. The skin around his face imitated the look of a thin parchment paper and somewhat unhealthy glow delivered the feeling more intensely, adding dark circles around his sunken eyes.  
In this moment I knew for good that he'd have the headache of his life which wasn't my problem anymore but I bet he saw more than few stars by now.  
"Finally you're awake dude" I said staring at his face intensely.  
"I hope you get the fact that you were about to kick your arse goodbye. What a trouble"

"I was _..what_?" he managed to say like he'd have a hot potato in his mouth and I just shook my head to ignore him. Straight up Gairs swift presence entered the room and he observed around before standing closer.  
"Well that took long enough!" he said with an impatient exclamation and I turned my attention back to the recovering subject.  
"You owe me your life. You are Talah Jateel aren't you?" passing through another set of water to him as he looked like he'd want it, I demanded for an answer. The dark man nodded with the scar on his face twitching when he grimaced.  
"...What do you want? Who are you? And where is everybody?" croaked voice left his throat as his breath hissed and he pulled himself in half sitting position, holding his head. The guy had rough time to make his body work for him so anything he did, came out as a slow, sticky version of the original.

"They ran away and who we are is not really important. There is something though what we want - little birds sang that you have _a map_. The biggest collection of forgotten documents that you use in your advantage" I continued and the redguard just let out a faint, husky laugh and scratched his untamed shortie of a beard.  
"I have much more than that! Please do take whatever you want, I am in no condition to resist. As long as this den keeps safe of course"

"Not interested. You can keep your drug business"

Talah coughed few times holding his chest as in pain and pointed to the other side of the space where on single bench existed.  
"Under that thing..." heavy breathing. "There is a dislocated floor board. Everything I have acquired from my contacts is in there" some spark lit up my eyes when I sprung up and jogged to the bench. Bending down and placing my arm under there with all the dust I searched for a while, before catching a tiny twig hole on the board. Gair watched from behind keeping close eye to our information seeker.

A heavy clack sounded across the room when I removed the plank piece and the hole revealed a whole bunch of papers and letters in a single pile. Trying not to rip any of them I carefully took the pile in my hands. While I closely eyed the scruffy pages in the dim lighting, I went through some of them by general seeking manner.  
"Find anything? This better be worth it" The nord asked his arms tightly crossed as he posed against a wooden pillar.

Squinting at the papers I held one separate from the others while reading. My eyes followed the text.  
"I think you should check this out" I said with dark undertones and the man continued by positioning himself over my shoulder. "It's not the map but hear this..." as I started to read out loud the last part, Gairs face came to be slightly more interested.  
"...In accordance of the leadership, it is ordered to send your best spy available to the city of Markarth. We need more ways to support our financial functionality and the silver mines are the most valuable assets of the rebellion supporting movement. Various leaks have confirmed that there might be chances for any to slip in - I will send various copies of this message in ensured ways to get it through. _Signed by General Tullius._ No receivers name"

My wonderous sight landed on him. "I have no clue how these people do it but this is a real imperial letter, look at the broken wax seal! They literally hooked information from the empires plans"  
"...From the royal courier!" the redguard yelled.  
"Oh shut up!"

Gair quickly snatched the thing and slammed it on the nearest counter with much more grim look than usual.  
"That damn Tullius" he snarled. "He calls himself a general! A general who sticks his nose everywhere, bloody Oblivion! The empire is like a handicapped soldier pretending to be able to walk and they nearly sent me to the block without a damn reason"

I kept searching for more things while I was at it.  
"Would you side with the Stormcloaks then? And why you'd be sent to a block? I know you're annoying but that's a bit extreme" I asked while he stomped few feet further, kicking something on his way. The man straightened his posture while I heard a strong huff.  
"I am not _siding_ with anyone but myself. They're the ones who involved me while crossing the border from Cyrodiil, and if you don't keep your mouth shut I'll throw you with a block"

Snickering by myself to his pissed offness I soon came across the yellow sheet that showed the way to the Tomb of Ustengrav, besides few other locations that had been marked out by someone. All this we went through because the mighty hero in all his wisdom never asked Arngeir to tell where exactly he was supposed to go. What a day to be spending.  
"Hey you, doom of the lizards I found it. Here's your map, look!"

Grim faced Dragonborn began giving me dangerous looking glares, ripping the sheet from my hand and I answered him by flashing innocent shoulder shrug, since I already guessed he just wanted to know what the hell was wrong with me. As for now by reading his actions we were immediately going to leave and while checking I had everything, I proceeded being the second one out the rat hole he mentioned.  
The redguard would be on his own by now and if his little friends came back later he'd be more than fine so no worries in that matter. I had spend more than enough time with him plus sun light never did any good for recovering addicts anyway.

Reading right the directions soon enough, our last piece of journey would pass us from between some more mountains as usual, where the layers of snow and ice already existed.

"You are going to be more dead than the draugr after the next training session, better put that on mind" Gair said as I was forced to take couple of running steps after him but in the end I didn't mind his words: in the bottom of it all there lingered deeply other kinds of feelings than anger and it brought hardly detected smile on my flushing face.  
Teasing him would never get old.


	9. Fetching the Horn

Ustengrav. The creepiest depths of a nordic ruin I have ever approached at, which is the only nordic ruin I have ever approached at. The closure was immense. After couple of times getting lost in hail storm and stumbling upon skeletons we managed to find our way to the place that reeked death and bandits, where I wasn't personally so excited on fighting centuries old corpses. That was just it, Draugr were one of the scariest enemies by looks of it. They had pale blue glowing eyes and all so familiar skeletal appearance with mummified skin and bones.

Wandering in the tunnels made me wish that we wouldn't have been feets underground, trapped by layers of rock listening grunts and steps echo in the endless hallways that creeped the shit out of me. When you see your enemies from a distance, it's not nearly as much bad as the uneasiness striking me after every turn from any single corner. Even without asking, my hands were always cold, sweaty and my brains developed a habit of trying to over sense everything all the while my head ached from listening too much - on the other hand Gairs presence made it much more endurable.  
I never wanted to be that _you first_ kind of guy but as for the times encountering undead enemies, I could easily tell this wasn't a job for everyones nerves. They definitely should pay double.

Now on the far side behind us, I could still hear the distant waterfall rumbling as we after times of searching proceeded forward into an ancient hallway, decorations carved into resembling old symbols and pictures. For one of the rarer times Gair had his double swords drawn and I closely followed behind, taking peeks around the corners where lit up torches graced us with their presence. Regardless of the light we had managed to put up, the whole tomb seemed to suck most of it into itself, leaving us traveling through dim creeks and broken halls.  
The fingers on my both hands were slowly becoming stiff and hard to manage. It was cold as death in here, just the way which doesn't quite freeze you but you become to feel it digging into your bones.

The breath I let out every now and then formed a speck of mist that could be seen in the corners of my vision but otherwise ignoring it, I blinked my eyes for the extra moisture. I does take some time getting them used to barely seeing what was in front and the constant smell hanging around this place wouldn't in my opinion identify as a smell at all, more like air been standing still way too long time: It tickled the insides of my nose. When on the constant move, our bodies managed to blend with the shadows and moving swiftly, we eventually reached the properly constructed parts, away from the natural caves.

Burial sites, chests, pots started to appear sometimes into our view, seeing the gifts someone could have left years ago for the died family members. After Gair respectfully enough had spent few seconds digging something out of a urn, I'd nearly led my way around a pillar corner just to investigate. Casually seconds before I could react to any possible danger, broken growl sent my baby hairs chilling up exactly when I saw a long shadow of a human figure holding a sword and I felt my guts jumping to my throat. This wasn't the first time seeing the walking corpses but for some reason I couldn't help myself from freezing on my steps, thinking on what to do and in blink of an eye something forceful pulled me backwards, so that I nearly stumbled on my own feet.

The man had grabbed me behind around my waistline, tugging me into a convenient space between a crack and an extra wall, that might have been another hallway before. His actions got me so good that I yelped out loud verbally creative protests, which became muffled by his hand pressing over my mouth as I struggled around while cursing his ass. The rate my heart pounded appeared faster than normally allowed, racing to catch a star and it wasn't even caused by the approaching draugr, the Dragonborn made himself scary enough.

" _Shush!_ Be stealthy" he whispered into my ear and I couldn't help but to notice the moderately tight spot he had gotten us into. Maybe a bit too much tight, as our chests were mildly pressed against each other.  
"They have a bad eyesight" Gair halfway mouthed, sliding his hand downwards to remind me that mine was still holding a sword. In return I gave him a death glare, at which he probably couldn't even see but I really hoped he would.

While counting the steps, the corpse reappeared into our view his back pointing towards us. It wore nearly destroyed armor and horned helmet in its hairless head. Chunks of something unmentionable hung around it's torso, in other parts the skin covered it's face and head like thing parchment paper. Now without finding anyone regardless of his hearing sense, the thing kept clacking his teeth perhaps in disappointment.  
Without giving another moment squeezed between the man and the rock, I jumped out from my hiding place, clashing the hilt first to cut his knees. I forgot momentarily the proper technique and got my wrist bend in undesirable manner. Ouch.  
The corpse went down without a balance anyway and I gave my trusted sword another through run into the dusty guts, finishing it off. The glow in his eyes turned off accompanied by disgusting sounds of crushed insides. I yanked the sword out giving my hand a discreet rub.

"If this was your idea of a joke let me tell you an advice. It's terrible" I said as I turned around to squint my eyes at the man whose face created an expression of amusement. I may have looked a bit like a sulking baby.  
"No, it's not a joke. You need to practice more stealth..." he gracefully knocked off the bony corpse head before continuing his merry way.  
"Says who. You are never stealthy!" I pointed out.

"Shor help me, _you_ manage to walk straight on the only draugr within the whole tunnel in the single second I am for once _not_ watching you" I heard some annoyed remarks while I followed in his heels, giving a nose wrinkle.

Soon enough I saw how the dark caverns offered us many ways to go. On my right and left there stood rough, smaller passages that sank into the lack of lighting and like mouths waiting to devour, they weren't so much inviting to explore and focusing myself into the main path stayed as the key word.  
Little by little the roof rose higher up when my boots took a step to end of the current path, where another room resided. Proper room. The dirt floor changed into a better constructed stone and I let my gaze fly around the airy space above us, where the plants grew from the cracks of the stone. The way was shut.

On the other side of the small chamber there laid metallic bar doors one after another, blocking the path into the depths. It took me some seconds too long to remember the place - in the middle there stood three rune stones, each of them with different carvings. Gair naturally investigated around.

"Windcaller protected his tomb well" the man snorted, seemingly not so fond of puzzles but proceeded to step in front of the first stone. Sudden sharp humming filled my ears and for a moment the stone walls glowed red when one of the gates lifted up before the Nord backed off in slight surprise.

Deep frown on his face, he retreated couple more steps and I slowly stood beside him.  
"That is the strangest mechanism I've ever seen" Gair looked down at his feet and placed his hand on his hips.  
"One stone, one gate..." I said from between pressed lips, eying him with my best shot. "You should let me through first" continuing I skipped my way near the first door since this needed to be done fast. The plan seemed to be clear for the Dragonborn, he had gotten into the same judgement with me but something held him back before anything happened.

"Just look around when you get there" his momentually tensed voice stated, as the man nodded at me to be ready.

When the sound hit the air once more, I slipped myself through the pass. The second door opened as I stepped through the arc. Metallic noises rushed behind me when the gates closed behind my back and with the last one away I had soared through them all. Ascending few last steps half running up, I turned my position towards Gair who resided on the other side.  
"Everything cool here" I confirmed, stepping aside I created some space in front of me. I knew what to look out for. The man waved at me a sign and started the process over by running past all the stones at once.

WULD NAH

The booming of the shout snapped in my ears which made me unwillingly blink few extra times. It looked like a flash to me but I immediately found Gair standing near me.  
I had taken mental notes long ago from occasions he happened used his Voice. If the man didn't fight against dragons, no one had the honors of hearing the magnificent art of ancient nords as much as I always expected.  
Instead of using immense power to defeat his opponents it almost seemed like he preferred his two swords instead, quite opposite of the wannabe-high king Ulfric if I must say. Just like the other times I had witnessed, his blue eyes held some kind of flash in them immediately after using shouts but the man quickly shook it off and smiled at me.

The smile happened to be one of those mischievous ones. Wait what, why was he even smiling? That doesn't usually happen.

"If you want a staring competition I have to say there are much more convenient places to keep it than an ancient crypt of undead people" Gair cleared his throat in suggesting manner and whenever my brains caught up I realized I must have stood there a while. Something very warm climbed up my face.

"Oh" I blinked in confused manner. "Ooh yea, sure okay. _uh_ , let's go then, nothing to see here!" I awkwardly spun around, grinding my teeth together and did my best at turning just to hide my face, plus of course get us going because I wanted to pretend like this didn't happen. I heard the man chuckling somewhere behind my back, which I replied by kicking a stone at his general direction.

Neither of us couldn't get far before I noticed something different once more. Now the floor pattern in front of the way drastically changed, having a lot of small extra tiles. I found myself unable to see any specific pattern or picture but my reactions weren't fast enough in order to say anything at first. turned out I didn't need to as Gair stopped me there for the same reason, clearly there had to be something suspicious.

"What do you make of that" he said while glancing around and turning to lift a moderately heavy boulder on his arms. The man pushed the said boulder away to the tiles and instantly there followed a faint click, heard from whatever inserted trap.

As suspected, scorching fire burst out from the hidden lines on the floor and I watched it rise up, feeling the heat on my face even from the distance I stood. Good grace it didn't burn my eyebrows. The trap projected the flames for a while and decided to shut off after minute or two. Me and Gair both looked at each other at the same moment and I made not so happy grin fall down.  
"Better find another way to cross or we're having a barbeque party" giving a shrug I stared off into the distance. I felt the mans eyes on me as he raised his brows, looking somewhat off put.  
"We're having _a what_?" he said and I just shook my head.  
"That's like food when you roast something and then...- eh, whatever, let's just get this over with. Any ideas?"

Spamming potions and running across wasn't a choice right now so I had to put my mind to the task. On the edges of the booby trapped path there resided few spots with solid rock. I wondered if we could jump on the bald spots, even if the end of the passage wasn't visible to our eyes from here.  
"Jump" Gair stated confirming my thoughts. I had another chance in my mind as well.  
"That..." I said "or if you happen to know any shout that could help in the case"

"Forget it" the man took few steps backwards, ran and took a leap to the first ledge turning into my side with significant way. I just muttered few words by myself and did the same maneuver.

With one hop I landed onto the rock island, barely keeping my balance. I had positioned myself better anyways so the next target would be across the width of the hallway. Carefully tiptoeing as close to the edge as I could I hopped once more. This time my results were clean and I pressed myself against the wall to make some space.  
Without waiting for Gair I already made my way onto the next rock in front of me as the man resided one step behind me and then I stopped myself, raising one palm upwards.  
"Abort mission. We have a problem" I whispered with a low voice, filled with uncertainness.  
"What is it now" the nord made the last jump before reaching the same spot as I balanced myself. Few stones rolled around. I pointed towards the familiar rustling coming from the platform that seemed to be our destination.

"Creepy crawlies" I stated while pushing away my falling front hair. A minimal group of frostbite spiders snapped around the hall but Gair only decided to put his are-you kidding-me face.  
"You call that a problem?" he asked while boasting around with his manly voice. Instead of just saying something I waved towards the surroundings where we were still clearly surrounded by trap floor. He took few looks around before answering.  
"Hm, what did you say about roasting before?" a slow sentence hung in the air as a tiny smirk climbed on his lips. The man didn't give much more time to wonder what happened to be in his mind when he raised his hand, letting out a sharp whistle.

All the spiders heard that. Bunch of tinier ones with one moderate giant wandered around and once our presence was known they snapped their jaws, starting to crawl towards the intruders they so much disliked.  
"Are you nuts, they _shoot_ poison!" I exclaimed with wild hand gestures. Gair just pushed me few steps forward.  
"Keep jumping!" he said and instantly took a tactical retreat to the previous stone. I growled in annoyance, bouncing to the action. Swift series of risky movement followed from this point on.

As the group of drooling spiders approached with their hairy feet, they targeted us with the hissing substance. Gair had done a clever move but my own case slightly varied: I went for the wrong direction and my heart skipped painfully more than few beats when my boots slipped, throwing me off balance.  
Empty gasp escaped my mouth while my arms furiously tried to find something to catch on but fortunately with few attempts I regained my positions nearly ending up on my knees. I went against the opposite wall.  
"Holy shit, that was close" I sighed, hoping that perhaps the man didn't see that exactly at the moment.

Gair was somewhere behind me.  
"Here they come" I heard him saying. With some juice beefy bait the angry spiders came across the actual floor. They closed in on us but soon whimpered on their places when the tiles gave up under their weight. I had to turn my face away when the gigantic swoosh filled the air with screams of the insects. They struggled and burned but the trap didnt stop working until their flesh melted, sending up smoke, ash and exposed spider guts. Bitter smell filled the air and I coughed into my sleeve, scorched spider wasn't the most intriguing buké of all.

Too bad not all of them were as much stupid. When the largest one saw his nest mates die he stayed behind trying to target us with his poison double as furiously. It seemed like these creatures weren't that much brainless after all but regardless most of them were down, so according to Gairs movements we would be taking the offensive side. Where some of the slopes were coated by liquid, I did my best to avoid and finally reached the platform alongside the man. He didn't wait for the action to reach him.

I plunged to take care of the big one. With the steel sword out I did few zig zag moves running towards the black, slimy jaws. All the many eyes of the spider stared back at me as I was forced to avoid a pair of striking legs and returning the favor I slashed few of them.  
The spider squealed, the sharp noise stung my years. It was my waist height and when it attacked again I slashed out once more to his down parts, striking the sword through the eyes into the brain.

Before all of them were defeated I had already been in few close up situations more, which Gair over thought way too much. He dusted of his boot, cleaning the blade from the spider goo when I returned beside him.  
"Either your fighting style is a new variety of invading personal space or you're subtly trying to suicide" Gair glanced at me under his brows and I casually ignored his saltiness.

"hey, It's all about the perspective" I bit my tongue.  
"I see, you'd make a wonderful artist" he gave me quite cold notion when I returned checking the straps of my armor but I left his comment for what it was worth. My gear had caused me some shoulder pain lately and I didn't know why. The Dragonborn drifted past and bro-fisted me into that exact shoulder I had been talking about, and I believed it wasn't a coincidence.

We sheathed our weapons and walked away from the stone to the only direction possible.

Passing some pillars and curves, near the end there were stairs where you'd see bigger light shining through the arc and at first my sight took a while to adjust to the level of brightness. At this moment I knew we had reached the final chamber without any further problems and with no more traps ahead I passed the arc, staring at the most grand place up until now.  
The main tomb represented itself different than the other parts. Pools of dark water flowed on the both sides inside the pits and even with the green kelp growing on the sides the usual appearance was moderately tidy. Assuming all the ages passed, the tomb of Windcaller had been preserved more than well - I saw old pieces of art decorating every bit of it, just the way someone important would have been wide path in the middle led to the other side, where rays of light shone through windows revealing dust particles in the spotlight and in the end, the stand. That was why we had arrived.

"Well, we're here" I said with a bit of husky sound, probably some dust in my throat. And the overcoming feeling on what was about to come. Gair was the first one to move and I went after him whenever I stopped paying attention to the details. Carvings. Fabrics and writing in strange language. At first the chamber fell quiet and I heard nothing besides the sounds of our own but sudden happening changed everything.

The floor shook. The entire place rumbled under our feet and I snapped backwards when a speck of dirt and stones fell from the roof. The mans eyes were full of tension for a moment but none of us moved any more than that. A thunder like noise drummed my head when the water in the pits boiled, revealing no other than the raising pillars.  
Watching them my lips parted, I placed my eyes onto the figures representing some kind animal from the first look. Perhaps a dragon. Most of the rumbling stopped wiht lingering echoes, when the figures weren't moving anymore and I remarked Gair staring at the tomb. Anymore surprises and he'd be done for.  
"Let's get the horn and be out of here" he half mumbled, going for the stand.

As for myself I stayed steps behind, to not be right there. My thoughts were elsewhere hence I had just remembered something I hadn't thought at all, up until now. The pedestal would be empty.  
And in fact it was. When I caught up with the Dragonborn his face turned into something unreadable when he got in front of the rune carved tomb. First confused, then something else. The hand which was meant to hold the horn of Jurgen Windcaller, included only a piece of paper. I swallowed hard, lingering my sight on the walls. Gair opened the letter which he handled carefully while finding out what was up. He started to read.

"Dragonborn. I need to speak to you urgently. Rent the attic room at the Sleeping Giant inn in Riverwood and I'll meet you. A friend" after finishing the whole thing out loud, the nord remained silent for a second before the frowns on his face got significantly darker.

"The horn is _gone_?" his voice grew more powerful when the man processed the whole thing. "What is this" he growled at me, pacing down from next to the stand. Gair threw the note away on the ground, kicking it away and furiously cursed everyone to the lowest oblivion for some minutes before starting any kind of discussion. I could see the rage and irritation grow inside him like a storm and it managed to make me nervous as well.  
"Is this a joke? Who _damned_ is behind this absurd..- I am going to rip his head right out of his shoulders. Are you telling me we came here for _nothing?_ All of this just find out some mutton head came here first and stole the fucking horn!" he gritted his teeth like he'd want to find something to smash and I decided it would be the best to stay away from his path. Glancing at the dirty note on the floor, I sighed with all the force of my lungs. Just to step in.

"It seems like it" I muttered silently. "I'm afraid it's very real, someone apparently wanted to..." I thought a word. "meet you. Really bad" I continued rubbing my palms together. The man turned around, narrowing his eyes at me.  
"Or kill me? Or threaten something out of me, or absolutely any of those options. And _you_...!" he paused, stepping closer. I wasn't expecting the reaction so my heart raced a round as some amount of worry went up to my features. "You are not looking very surprised about this?" his phrase came through like a silent threat between the lines. At first my brains got stuck and I went on like a dead fish, looking for an escape route. I took a step back.

"Excuse me, what do you think you're meaning with that" I raised my hands in defense but struggled with my voice production before I went acting angry, standing my ground. We both had a literal staring competition, me trying not to choke at my own words. I fought hard against the inner tremble that went on behind the surface.

"Quit looking at me like that!" I started again more intensely. "It's not like I had anything to do with this, keep that in mind" My fists closed in and I pursed up my lips with head jerked back, about to throw in an argument.  
"Of course I'm surprised. But have you considered, how many things have gone wrong so far? It's not like everything's perfect and sound here. Look Gair, whoever wanted to meet you knew that you would come here. That _the Dragonborn_ would come here and she knew how to be ahead of you. You think just anyone's capable of that?" I insisted. "Nearly no one else than the Graybeards know about this sacred mission of the horn retrieval. This guy is pretty well educated about old rituals. How many enemies you have like that?"

When I finally stopped talking I saw the man had somewhat stood down but he stared at me intensely. Even with the chill of an old tomb, I could imagine a sweat drop forming in my hairline but the man just seemed to give up, grunting some unclear words I couldn't properly make out.  
"No one said it would be someone who I already know" he said and circled around the pedestal looking around the place. His sight landed behind us, onto a wooden door.  
"At least I'm checking if there's any loot. If I ain't having the horn, old Jurgen can make up to it otherwise" more mumbling.

Somehow I sensed moderate pissed offness than he ended up showing but a chance of getting more money wasn't hurting as deep and seemed to cheer the man up at least somewhat. Mostly it had given me an fair escape from not being roasted down and I let out a relieved breath. The door creaked and the man stomped inside, crashing some barrel on his way while I stayed there watching the beautifully carved dragon spreading his wings.  
It was all so peaceful and then I felt it. The thing banged me inside, making me restless and reminding me from everything I had said during all these days and weeks.

Somehow I always knew everything was better in the way it was. Perhaps I could have told him days ago that it was no use of coming here, perhaps I could have said that this whole trip was for nothing but in the end, I couldn't.

Besides the fact that maybe he wouldn't believe me, I had remembered the moment when in the beginning I used to wonder how to use my knowledge. Now I wasn't so sure anymore. Because all I really felt like doing, was just to forget everything instead and most of the time I spent with him, I never thought at all about the possible future, what the future might be and what could or could not be happening.  
I slowly admitted to myself, that this feeling lifted something away from me, something I never knew I needed lifted. I rarely paid attention to these thoughts, until once again I found myself in the defending side, trying desperately not to say any wrong word.

The only reason I struggled were the lies and the subconscious situation this created. Everyday I started to be burdened by quilt for not telling him what I truly know but I was afraid that the real truth would make him so very angry at me, or perhaps create up something else. Angry now because I would have had answers to his problems and I never told him, so long for being innocent. To reveal all this would possibly change many things and then what? Either he'd never see me the same or I would end up being a tool of knowledge for him, to achieve what everyone wanted him to do. No. I couldn't let that happen. Never.

"Are you coming or not!" Gair yelled from the room where he filled up his pouch judging by the clinks. I jerked out from my thoughts and blinked before throwing in a look.  
"Wait up!" I said and jogged to the back exit. There wasn't too much gold to be carried but enough for us to buy at least a horse. Windcallers tomb hadn't been visited by anyone in a long long time besides _you know who_. And she left it all behind.  
I came to find out, that the man had discovered our back door for a way to get going. Before we left I came to grab few precious stones with me, tucking them in a tiny pouch and without further lingering we climbed the tunnel into freedom.

* * *

After we had found our way out from the dark caverns of Ustengrav, I came to face once again the colder (but fresh) climate of Skyrim. I looked down from the cliff side into the peaks and valleys without noticing anything out of normal. A frozen tug of grass cracked under the steps as I headed down with Gair, waiting for some kind of upcoming conversation so I gave him an significant eye but he remained silent.  
Regardless of the current set backs we didn't have any storm in our hands anymore but as for a location residing in the mountain range, thin white snow covered our view. The glistening rays blinded me momentarily when the sunlight hit on the icy surface. The low lands of the province weren't all snowy yet so whenever we'd travel again to the ground level, things would get slightly easier . Anyway I relied on my familiar wool cloak to keep me extra warm.

Gair eventually called on the fact that Riverwood located on the root of the Throat of the World and we happened to be exactly in the corresponding side. The whole trip wouldn't take us too long if we'd make it fast and I believed he'd be in quite a hurry to kick some serious ass. I really hoped so while our feet had been on the move since very early in the morning so until something better would turn out, both of us agreed on finding a place to camp. There was a bit of a walk but I happened to find a fitting place between some rocky slides, including a base of tundra plants. I had collected firewood on the way, placing it on the ground which contracted tiny annoying sticks to sting the skin on my palms. I started to pick them off.

"I hope you know, most of that is soaked through" Gair said with the friendliest non-friendly voice possible and I stood on my place surveying my doings in thought.  
"Yea and how can I help that? If you haven't noticed we have snow around us" I complained and looked at the blocks laying on ground but regardless tried to find possibly some more pieces of flammable materials.

"There should be ways to try to light it of course" he said, collecting a bunch of hay from the first spot to come around while I was building an endurable place for the fire and gave it support with stones. I subtly huffed out.  
"That's where you're right. How about a little _word of power_ for example, sending those woods blazing huh?" I made the best suggestive voice possible when I kneeled down my back turned towards him to take a piece of flint and a knife. I heard shuffling when Gair sat his ass inside our naturally formed shelter to avoid the wind and he did not look happy. Our eyes met for a second until I focused on lighting up the stuff, a small sparks flew unto the hay making it smoke and hopefully burn.

"You don't give up do you?" his face gave away hints of darkish mannerism when he shook his head. When the fast made camp was up and running after some minutes, I slacked somewhere near to absorb warmness. A bit of silence hung above us but instead of keeping it like usually I proceeded in continuing.  
"Okay" I stated, leading demanding tone towards the nord and gave him my full attention.  
"Spill it. Why _on earth do_ you completely hate being the Dragonborn so much?" he faced me rather quickly.

"I don't completely hate it" he said with a dry voice.  
"And we all know that's skeevershit. I never see you using your Thu'um unless you absolutely have to and even then you're doing your best to avoid it" I paused and gave him a bit of time to think. "What's the deal. Why not use the power you're supposed to harness?" letting my tone down I spoke more soft than before and saw the man pressing his lips tight before speaking.

"Exactly, what else I am supposed to do!" he growled, keeping his hands together so hard I noticed the tensing of his muscles. I looked at him.  
"Am I supposed do whatever old, crazy monks on top of a mountain tell me to, hm? Am I supposed to save the world from angry dragon? Am I supposed to be a hero because some ancient _whoever_ decided that it is going to be like that, no questions asked?" the nord took a surprisingly shaky breath before giving up most of his rant. He freely stared at the fire flickering in front of us and I slightly tilted my head, just so that my sandy hair fell on my shoulder.

"I never asked to be the Dragonborn. Nothing good has come out of it so far" repeating the same sentence he had once told me in High Hrothgar he forced it out with hint of raw bitterness. "My opinion wasn't considered when _fate_ was shared. Destiny _this_ and destiny _that_ , prophesies here and prophesies there. Someone already decided what I am going to be when and where"  
Listening the words I gave the thing a further thought. I had sensed all along the topic lingering in the air since we had talked a bit more than usual in the monastery.

"Like your final destiny is carved in stone and no matter what, you need to fill in that role?" I partially flashed an unhappy smile as showing a sign of understanding. I heard the man clearing his throat a little.  
"Sounds about right"

"This may sound weird. But personally I never saw it like you do, although I understand why do you feel the way you do. I've been in the end of thinking that my life was always going to be the same. I've been stuck. And when things suddenly changed..." amused huff escaped from me and a bit my lower lip while searching for right words. "I have to admit I was scared. Right now, I wouldn't change a thing anymore because somehow I came to adapt, or well you're better judge of that I guess. Have I?"

The woods cracked and smoked in the background, sending some ashes flying. The nord seemed slightly more relaxed right now so he even sent me a tiny smirk before answering.  
"At least you're still alive. I would say that is adaptation well done" I just happily shrugged my shoulders, letting my gaze float somewhere up where I saw a piece of sky.  
"I couldn't have done it alone"  
This was where both of us took a break from speaking for a while. I sensed our conversation moved into personal levels and I nearly felt surprised how he still followed me in it, how much far this could reach I couldn't say. Slowly realizing the fact managed to form a questionable bubble of joy somewhere inside my own guts.´- Maybe this whole thing would be very short lived and that only made it more special.

"The thing I was going to say about your thoughts in the first place" I paused. "In my opinion the concept of being the Dragonborn could be much more than what you'd describe. Way more" Gair lifted his brows at me shifting on his place and I kept randomly paying attention to the tiny scar on his right cheek, his nearly messy dark hair and pecks of dirt on his face. His looks was all about scruffy, but in a good way.  
"Actually..." I crossed my fingers. "I always thought the opposite. You truly might be the only one who can choose weather there is destiny or not. You'd be the only one with options and choices, which I or anyone else couldn't be capable of. I bet you have many people who do not _exactly_ like you -"

"Thank you" he interrupted me heavily and I accidentally chuckled.  
"...But I also say you'd have even more people who want something from you, your help. You kinda said it yourself. I might sound like I'm nuts but in my opinion the reason why you'd make such a good ally for anyone's purposes even if they don't know it, is because _you can_ make the difference. And every bit of this thing you are doing with the Graybeards is happening because difference doesn't necessarily mean good things. Arngeirs purpose is to try to help you realize how to use your abilities wisely. In his own interesting way I guess. _He's a bit bossy_ "

Keeping a break I processed what I was about to say next. "You are granted with significant power in many ways. Significant in the matter that you are truly capable either for great good or great evil in a bigger scale. Or absolutely anything in between. Just by being Dragonborn doesn't make you any better human, no offense -"  
"None taken"

"Prophesy is a prophesy but what if you mystically died right now, the prophesy would die with you. You're not exactly immortal and what if you weren't the Dragonborn? Let's assume that the other Dragonborn would have been a die hard Stormcloak fan and he decided with all his might to assist Ulfric Stormcloak to victory. Or maybe he chose to crush his skull instead or maybe he became crazy about all his power and decided to enslave everyone. Maybe he went nuts and meditated two years in a pond"

I made a bet in my mind that anyones eyebrows couldn't possibly go any higher than his were, and to make up to my believability I convincingly nodded my head, looking a tad silly in the process. "I'm definitely nuts. And also I exaggerated a lot. If you weren't the Dragonborn someone else would have been. I would like to ask one thing though, what's your actual reason to continue this whole thing in the first place?"

Gair observed me closely before his attention broke down to reach some place far away. He seemed to have listened everything I said but regardless if he chose to give it any consideration, he didn't show any particular brain activity. Just being there in his usual manners. The man scratched his beard and threw another stick into the camp fire.  
"Besides the fact, that if I don't want the whole world to be crushed down I really _don't_ have a choice you mean?" the nord blurted out. "I don't know. But now that you're asking for it, I did promise to help you get back home without having your soul eaten"

"Yeah, as good reason as any I guess"

"You must have practiced that impressive speech since last week and why, you definitely are _not_ ever quitting" he groaned and started to look for something to eat. We still had some rabbit from yesterday so I decided to help him and threw the package from my bag at his hands. Gair caught it without an effort.  
"In fact, no I am not quitting. Besides that meat, I also brought _this_!" I held my hands under the leather flap of the bag and pulled out a book. An old book, not so huge with worn out covers and small writing in dragon tongue.

Gair had been in the middle of chewing at his piece, when his eyes nailed onto the object I held up for him with a wide smile. His head took few moments to process before he swallowed and spoke.  
"Bria, what's tha-" he started with a warning under tone.  
"It's a book. It has some instructive knowledge about Dovahzul"

"Wait, what! Mighty gods, please tell me you didn't STEAL that from the Graybeards? Is THAT what you sneaked out for in middle of the night?" I awkwardly rubbed the back of my head, feeling warmth on my face when I realized he had noticed that and still remembered. Guess I should've known anyway, it's him we're talking about.  
"Eh, right you weren't supposed to wake up"  
"How can't I when you sneak about your ways like a mammoth and then you ask why the monks don't like strangers! Explanation is exactly what?!"

"I didn't steal it..." I convinced him, gently rubbing the surface of the pages I had opened. "I just borrowed it a little bit. And I want you to try to learn something out of it" trying to blink my eyes in certain, presuring way I kept going before he had time to protest between the moments of shock and disgust.  
"What the..? You want me to _read_?" Gair asked, his eyes squinted suspiciously in disbelief as if I had just requested to make a cliff jump from Niagara falls or perhaps to fight a dragon while covered in lantern oil.

" _Oh no_ what a disaster! Just think. It makes so much sense if you knew how to speak lizard. I mean seriously, you have the _soul_ of one. You already know the words of power by instinct, how much harder can some basic language be? You're practically a dragon, you might magically learn it like in two weeks. I'm serious!" just by talking about it, my voice went higher like an excited person often does, while I waved the book in front of the dude. He tried to run away from it and went on to eat his newest cheese bread on the other side of the camp.

"No. Never. Absolutely not, this is where I'm drawing the line, there is no way you get me to read that thing. You girl are going way beyond your privileges here" Gair lectured me by pointing at me in wild defiant manners, when I finally put the book down where it originally was. I rolled my eyes. Again.  
"Fiiiine. It was just a proposition. And save me that cheese you're always hoarding everything!"

"If you're so fascinated about my soul I can freely exchange that right now with you! No cheese for you today"  
"Come on, give it here you're being unfair, you know I love cheese!"  
"Not a damn chance"

I sprung up to my feet and attacked the Dragonborn holding _my_ portion of the cheese.


	10. Shadows in the air pt 1

**First of all I am sorry for the big big time I took on publishing this chapter. For anyone who couldn't see my previous message update to the previous one, I have been busy working 7 days a week almost a lot of hours so I have a lot less writing time than usual, (and a lot less energy) but don't worry I am still active and I will be in the future so I'm not going anywhere. As I promised this chapter is a bit longer than the others and I've actually made it two part sequence, so you can expect the second one to be out much sooner!  
** **Thank yous for following everyone =)**

 **(sry the re-posting, I had a thing with the title xd)**

* * *

Half of my left side brain grew darker exactly in the moment as the image of certain blonde lady projected herself on the back of my eyes, wiping and scrubbing away at the tables around the bar. Pathetic as it was. Somewhere behind the counter her business partner shuffled around banging some metal pots when he noticed us getting in and my shoulders dropped an inch defining my feelings of ultimate defeat in front of such sight.

To speak the whole truth, I had waited this moment in slow agony spreading through my body like cancer - After traveling with bigger haste than usual I was sluggish and sore from places I never knew I had and it made me even more pissed, because the reason for all this bother wouldn't be worth it, that much was clear. Crossing high paths and unexpected, regular fights had slowly made me grumpy. Rubbing those bruises never felt good and in the state we were now, my amusement levels returned critically more low compared to usual and I'd guess that the meeting we were about to have wouldn't do any better.  
It definitely. Wouldn't do. Any better.

The Sleeping giant Inn turned out to be quite empty around the middle day. While trying to be discreet, my eyes circled the place and I saw only one man sitting around the corner table. I couldn't imagine why but his look captured my attention for a second, or rather the look I couldn't see. This person wore dark, strapped clothes and hid his face behind a hood but the moment was short lived when Gair glanced at me after examining the smoke filled hall.  
"Attic room eh?" he said with a low grumble next to my ear, revealing the obvious fact that the Inn didn't have upper floors at all.

"I don't like this" I answered. A low mutter, mixed with heavy breathing escaped between my lips as I squinted my eyes on the sight ahead of us. I couldn't get forward to any sensible conversation but before we had time to do anything the man proceeded, confirming the next stages of our insensible search. He didn't even bother to point out that previously I had been clearly the more approving one of this plan but sometimes things definitely change. It was a bad idea. All of it. Abort mission.

"Let's find out who has my horn. I might have an idea" he said with a confidence straining through his voice and seemingly tried to act like none of us walked on any edge here.

The man stepped forward into the light of the firepit and while following in his footsteps, sour taste lingered on my tongue. I stayed behind on purpose only to follow, my fondness towards this situation became very far stretched and whatever I had to say was best to leave without saying: He'd handle himself and that's what I was partially afraid of. Of course there lingered the touch of hope that he wouldn't do anything stupid, other than what we were already doing but how could I avoid the strong distaste tearing it's way into me.

The said lady mentioned before turned on her heels when she heard footsteps crossing the mead hall. Her sharp, gray eyes pierced the intruders and she crossed rather long looks with me before putting away the dirty rags. Her features formed deep shadowy lines around her face and I returned the stare. When Gair had gone further about to confront the very same person he saw, she suddenly changed into a sickly sweet smile, popping her presence all over him.  
"Welcome to the Riverwood inn travelers. How may I help you?" there we stood against Delphine who acted like any waitress but up this close I only cared to pay my precious attention at the person itself, her twitching eyebrows and eyes who scanned the nord up and down. She knew who he was for sure.

Around our social formation happened a moment of silence just to be broken by the movement of the bar man, who focused on whistling while swiping up places. The nord on the other hand looked at our waitress intensely before speaking. He had clearly decided to go for the less violent way for solving this situation, which was a shame actually. This time I would have taken the second option for once, but here I was kindly judging her in my head while wishing it would show on my face as much as I felt it.

"I'm not entirely sure if you can help me or not" I heard the Dragonborn say and against expectations his face switched between a wry smile and an inch calmer version of his regular business mode, head slightly lowered. "It depends, if you have an attic room or not" he paused. If the phrase had caused any interruptions in Delphines head she hid it professionally from outside, no changes in one way or another but she did take a stern step backwards before uniting her hands. Anyone could think she would be a good actor so either she didn't even try or the tension building up was an intention. Her voice drifted across the room a lot more soothing than expected.

"An attic room? That's strange. I'm afraid we don't have one but I can give you the one on the left" she cooperated, pointing out a room with an open door. " _Especially_ the one on the left" with the pressing look and undertone it all seemed to reveal the last piece of our puzzle against all my will. The mood I sensed hung around even ice cold in a manner and if I didn't use my remaining energy on hating, there could have been something uncomfortable in the air. Gair subtly held the hilt of his sword like always, but remaining cool he said a simple thank you before we took our slow steps inside the biggest room in the house.

Who knew, we could be walking into a trap. I almost meant it, it was Delphine after all we were talking about but to return to the occasion, as probably expected by both of us the creaky door slammed shut behind. I turned around to face the determination booming out from the lady's aura like a beam, the sweet barmaid had magically turned into a strict looking human in boring blue dress, treacherous sub-species called werebitch from the far away land of _Fuckoff_. They tend to eat peoples trust on them as a breakfast: Immediate danger. Avoid at all cost, possibly poisonous.

"I need to talk to you" the sentence hit the air and stayed there frozen solid. She walked to face up Gair in the middle of the room, obviously not giving me any second thoughts but I couldn't care less. This tea party should be over before it even began. I crossed my arms in defiance.

"Really, you do now?" the nord stated suspiciously fixing his stations. Delphine let out a heavy sigh at the same go.  
"Yes. Preferably alone"  
Upon hearing those words as they spoke, I couldn't help but mentally cringe. Of course she wanted to talk to him alone, why wouldn't she! Delphine couldn't risk anyone being near when she planned to plant her lies on him and the situation got my fists clenching together in twisting, sick feeling that started to roll around my stomach bottom. The feeling was like a bird making a nest down there and every time the waitress opened her decorative mouth, one stick was added to the pile. I wondered how much it took until that pile would collapse. Am I prejudice? Yes, for a reason.

"First of all _lady_ " Gair started with warning in his words. _"_ Whatever you can say to me, you can say to her! Negotiations with thieves have never worked before, so better give me reasons why I shouldn't take it back right now and forget any of this ever happened"

Frankly, the furious sentence that escaped Gairs lips wasn't the one I had expected at all and I had to do my best in front of our thief, that I wouldn't have created any weird expressions in his general direction. I did turn my eyes on him though, looking baffled for a second.  
Now closer to this turning point I knew what this woman wanted to talk about and after the meaningful glances she had given in my direction, I wasn't even surprised that she'd want me out of her way. In fact I had readied the next sentence for throwing in an hostile argument why I was personally going to go where ever he did and that's that, but it completely slammed my brains that the need didn't even turn out.

If I wasn't mistaken, my ears couldn't even hear the slightest thought in said mans voice as he proceeded defending my position in front of her, something that nearly replaced the birds nest in my guts with something else. A jolt of confidence crept up from the back of my spine.

"Fine" she struck out a hard word after intense staring competition. "We'll do it your way but I am not what you think I am" Delphine said in more persistent strenght and opened one of her pouches, revealing the white, gold carved object on her hand known as the horn of Jurgen Windcaller.  
"First off I'm not your enemy! You may have the horn but I only ask for you to listen to me, I got you here so we could talk. It's important and might benefit us both" the blonde woman reached her arm out, giving the horn to the Dragonborn who took it, not removing his stare from her while examining the possible intentions.

Delphine backed off with empty hands and in the midst of questioning silence, opened the wardrobe in front of us. As the doors produced a silent clack, her hand pressed against the back of the cabin made the wooden wall to give in under the push. While I stood there relatively unmoving and with a grim expression on my face, the man next to me looked more caught up by the situation when a regular looking waitress reveals a secret passage from tavern room. I could see his eyes light up with a slight interest.

"Come. I have a place where we can speak without anyone over hearing"

When the person herself entered the wooden stairs leading down under the building, waving us to go forth, Gair exchanged confirming looks with me and I knowingly shrugged my shoulders while trying not to look too much like I cared. We had come all this way for one single thing, so knowing about these absurdities wouldn't hurt but in the other hand my personal bad feelings were growing - I didn't like this woman and I wouldn't like her in the future either. A certain thought had been cooking up in my brains since we left the tombs and while it crept up on me, I became convinced I could be the only thing standing between Delphine and her sick, manipulative ways.

Gair interpreted my shrug apparently as a yes and left his place to travel down towards the direction, where we heard the woman moving some stuff judging by the noises. At first the short, creaky stairway became dim lighted with few cobwebs here and there but ended soon into a lit room with a table in the middle of the floor and other random items along the walls and containers. Even a crafting stool stood in the corner but it hadn't been used for a long time for my interest.  
I saw a blade hanging on a rack above, pouches filled with whatever was inside them, adding some creepy details among the alchemy ingredients. I couldn't know what they were but I suspected I didn't even want to.

Few chests and shelves laid out scrolls, papers, books and other similar things in uncoordinated piles around the space, telling me that the host of the room wasn't apparently the most systematic person what comes to cleaning. Anyhow, the most important and used part would have been the huge map on the middle table. By a quick side glance I caught up the hasty ink marks and spots that someone had drawn across the sand colored, worn paper.  
If not looking any down sides, eventually I had to admit that the hide out looked a lot comfier than I'd have previously imagined. They even had some chairs and other comfortable items laying around which made me think that she might have spent most of her time down here. The marks of living were visible.

As Delphine had made sure that I truly closed the door behind us, she dusted her hands into her dirty apron and gave us a nod to confirm that we could take places among the furniture. The nord decided to take his stand on the other side where I after pacing around moved myself, back leaning on the empty wall but my eyes never moved away from the woman. Not for a one second.  
The dress was broken and sewed together from various parts and her best to look like any regular tavern lady was quite an effort (or maybe slightly extreme one) but since I couldn't eat that explanation, I began to notice the type of her body, the more defined structure that gave away strength.  
This girl looked like warrior through and through, no matter how fancy she'd ever dress up and that...ticked me off. Anything of her started to tick me off, even the way she walked around the room so sure of herself, even the way she spoke. By better judgement it could have been also the piercing look that gave away the nature I very much couldn't tolerate.

"You are probably wondering why you ended up here like this" she began the talk as ever, with the most cliché movie line in use for these types of situations. "I've caused and had many troubles by going through with this scheme to have you here, believe me but it was all for necessary safety purposes" she paused and I noticed how Gair had suddenly nailed his attention towards her in a way that gave in something uncalled for. His look darted on her like the stranger had suddenly become familiar and taking few steps closer the man pointed at her by his hand.

"Hold on a second.." his scruffed up voice gained tensity. "I know you" while he spoke in realization, watching at the bar maid up and down, Delphine's face lit up with a subtle twitch in her mouth corner.

"I wondered if you would. We've met before in far other condition"  
"Whiterun. It was you! You were meeting Farengar about the dragonstone, so you're his secret _contact_?"

Wonderful. What if you two just make up a club called _people-who-met-Farengar_. I had nearly forgotten the whole scenario, that's how sneaky and slimy this she-beast could be with her riddles. No doubt the map on the table lined up the dragon tombs found from the ancient stone. I paced my uncomfortable weight from one foot to the other.  
"Exactly, that I did. All of that is connected to the things I am going to present you later. You may call me Delphine" the woman pressed her head down, looking at the Dragonborn straight to his eyes, but eventually turned to face the map on the table, giving it some glances.

"There was a reason why I visited Farengar and there is also a reason why I had to find away to bring you here. We all are likely to have similar interests, so tell me..." she tapped the picture of the mountain with her finger. "the Graybeards seem to think you are the Dragonborn. Is that correct?" I couldn't say what Gair thought from the question, perhaps deemed it rather odd, but he had lowered his usual awareness at least some. The man placed his hands on the wood surface.

"I am indeed. If I wasn't, I wouldn't have come here for the horn, would I?" he sounded steady but slightly disapproving while Delphine paced few steps and I heard the snort that came from her when she heard his argument against the thing requested.

"If you have truly met the Graybeards, you should know even better than me how they are. Forgive me, if I don't believe something is true just because _the Graybeards_ say so. I just gave you the horn, does that make me Dragonborn as well?" the mockery in her words was barely visible but it was there all the while I watched the woman pace back and forth.  
Just the fact that I had to listen her making my day an inch worse. Or more than an inch actually. The case turned to be Gair himself wasn't moved by her words from outside but in annoying way it reminded me of myself. I used to say stupid things in stupid ways all the time but this was something else beyond that.

"Then why take the horn?" Gair said. "You wen't all that trouble for what?" the pretentious barmaid stood on her tracks and leaned on the table against him.  
"Trouble indeed" she hushed. "Person like me has no chances on taking risks, as I said safety purposes. I had to make sure you are not a Thalmor spy or any other associated with them, and this made more than well for the purpose" after the phrase the mans face turned something between surprised and questioning. I did notice his deepening frown.  
" _A Thalmor spy_?" he repeated with a strong, loud breath in his tone while backing out. "What does the Thalmor got to do with anything in this?"

A sudden humorous smirk rose up to my face as he finished.

"They don't" I came in and reminding them of my presence. "Talking about some serious paranoia right there _or what_?" leaning my head back I marked how Delphine guided intrigued death glare towards me like she only now registered an extra person in the room so I stayed on the subject.  
"I mean, if we are precise I could very well be a Thalmor spy as well and you'd never know. _Oh crap,_ let me just do a quick check up, I might have an high elf in my pocket!" I let my pretentiously wide eyes do the job as a statement, combined with a hand resting on my hips - she was everything but happy and faced me instead with eyes storming lightning. A almost saw the tiny vein popping out on her left side, when it was safe to assume she wanted to smash my skull for that. Fresh and baked like I want my cake.

"Be careful on what you say here" the waitress snarled, slamming her palm on the wood surface. "You shouldn't talk about the things you know nothing of, the Thalmor is _not_ a joke!" Delphine spat out the rest like the apocalypse itself would be something I spoke of but got hold of herself. Probably her message would be far less effective if she happened to lose her nerves so calming down her aspirations the woman turned towards Gair to grant us with the last piece of information. She took a deep, calculated breath in and kept her movement in minimum. Otherwise I would have gotten more than I asked for.

"I can tell you this much: The real truth is, I am part of a group that has been looking for you" she nodded at the Dragonborn who listened with concentration around the table even with the previous moment going on. "Or rather, someone like you for a very long time, longer you can imagine. I've acquired a bunch of information regarding the problem going on right now. That is of course if you allow me to make sure, that you are indeed the Dragonborn you claim to be before I will tell you all the details...-"

I snorted, shaking my head in a way that made their focus jump on me once more, not sorry for the interruption. I watched them both from under my brows, when I still resided on my previous spot but before neither of them could say anything and Gair froze with his lips partially open, I stepped forward and made my way to the other side. All three of us stood now in a triangle and their gazes met mine while I tried not to look too much happy.

"You have something to say?" the waitress questioned in the way that reminded me of a calm before the storm. I smacked my lips and observed the foolishness going around. My head tilted towards the left shoulder.  
"How nice of you that you asked, I actually do have something to say"

"...Which is?" she continued pressuring me.

"That's ridiculous" the words filled with thick judgement slashed out. Each of them were mainly thrown towards Delphine and she furrowed her looks upon hearing me where I couldn't resist but to continue while trying to make some kind of connection with Gair.  
"That's absolutely ridiculous! You know what, I think I have a way that can prove you that he's the Dragonborn" my mouth corner slipped upwards as I snapped my fingers towards Gair.  
"It's pretty simple so I'm _not_ wondering why you haven't figured it out yet but maybe...perhaps, _by any chance_ , he could just shout you through the wall and be done with it! That'll do the trick"

"Really?" Delphine's darker mood started to leak out little by little. "Perhaps the Graybeards are all Dragonborn then? You think just the ability to Shout is proving anything? Maybe you would consider Ulfric Stormcloak in the same cast?"  
There was no way she could win this argument but the situation started to fry my brains in the way that couldn't handle her selfcentered squabbling. I straightened my back, placing my other arm beside me.

"Please! Even an idiot knows that any random person can't just learn dragon shouts, especially multiple ones by only snapping his fingers except for him because _oh wow_ , he's the damn Dragonborn! Does he look like he had the past hundred years to learn like what, two words? You really should consider that one instead of feeding your ridiculous paranoia about everyone apparently running after you _because_...?" it was clear as day when the imaginary sparks started to fly between us, when I stepped forward and both of us began to get an idea of the thing. Delphines jaw line seemed to tighten and she raised her chin upwards like a bucking horse about to put me in her place. She hissed at me.  
"That's enough of..-"

"YES, that's ENOUGH!" Gairs sudden exclamation swiped us from the task on focus and nearly made me bounce. He stepped up with a face not giving any other choice but to shut up and listen, as I snapped out of my dislike bubble only to face the man who looked at us with deeply disturbed expression. He had pressed his lips together in disapproval and now changed looks between the waitress and I.  
"You..." he pointed at me. "Quit fighting!" I was about to furiously complain by stating that I wasn't fighting, nearly starting to show up gestures but I swallowed it after the stern, soundless _not now_ discussion took place between us.

"And Delphine, if you really want a valid proof that I am the one you seem to be looking for, you should've something in mind. What was that?"

The light haired woman did her best to abandon the noticeable irritation we had during our argument and only now got the true business she wanted all along. Tapping the map, she proceeded on spreading the whole length in front of us, swiping papers out of the way. Gair transferred his attention upon the thing.  
"This" Delphine stated. "You know what this is don't you? This is the map I acquired from the stone, or rather the locations that were in it. Every mark I have drawn here answers for one tomb. Burial sites for what else, but dragons"  
Fiddling with more items, she enthusiastically dipped an ink pen into the vial forgetting everything else and circled one mark with the black substance. I could almost see her hand slip in all that excitement to get to the butchering part.

"You have to believe me when I say, the dragons are not just returning to this land, not like the meaning of the word suggests"  
"Then how are they returning exactly?" the man asked.  
"Not returning. They were always here, they never disappeared. The dragons are being _resurrected_ from the dead, one by one in each tomb" the menacing ending of the phrase stuck out, more than it should have and she continued. "The only thing no one knows, is how or why but it's confirmed. I've done many calculations and found various of those tombs empty and cracked open!"

Of course we knew about Alduin but I kept wondering on my own if the man would make the connection between these two happenings, I guessed it would depend from various things. Even with all the hate I had for this woman, my main concern happened to be somewhere else and I returned to observe him in hopes of hearing the same thoughts I had.  
Gairs face moved to show a hint of realization, when he stared at the rounded mark on the paper and faster than expected, met my look.

"I'm afraid we might have an idea" he stated. "The only sensible thing that could possibly have a chance of resurrecting other dragons..."  
"...Would be Alduin" I threw in the rest of the paper thin sentence. Delphine straightened her back, stepping back an inch.  
"Alduin?" Over her word came a wave of doubt as she processed the bit of information "I've heard that name before, if I remember correctly. He is some kind of ancient one? But how does that affect on anything?"

"He's supposed to be the first one ever created, perhaps he has the power to wake his brothers" Gair said and leaned on the table corner. The blonde woman stood thoughtfull for a second but gave up on the topic very fast.  
"The explanation sounds interesting, but however it is, it doesn't matter now. My point to make here for you is, that the spot I have marked on the map is yet another burial site. You've heard about Kynesgrove right? Anyway, something happened there last week and according to my work the next resurrection should have taken place right... _there_ " her finger surprisingly pointed to the right side of Falkreath hold near what else but Helgen. Riverwood was placed near the border but took a minute to wonder about the course. If Kynesgrove had been on their own, what would become of this?

"As a Dragonborn you should be able to absorb the power of the dragon upon killing it. The soul! You are the only one who can slay a dragon permanently, to a state where they can't be resurrected by anyone and that's what I want to see. The tomb is not that far from here, if we take the horses we'll be there in relatively sensible time but we must leave right now after I take care of few matters"

The way Delphine spoke about slaying dragons, made me once again to fight against my urges to protest big and loud. I wrinkled my nose, looking displeased on the thing she suggested but something held me back. I knew it couldn't possibly be that much bad to kill a single reptile, they are trying to eat us of course but in my inner side I had to be against everything she would speak for. However the choice was all his, no matter how intrigued I was on trying to make some sense flow around here, because the sense would have been not to trust this failing lady at all.

"You know you don't exactly have to do this" I muttered at the nord, just to mention. This time he didn't interrupt me anymore but gazed at the door behind us.

"It's just one dragon, what could _possibly_ go wrong?" he said, producing a nearly silent huff while nodding at me and I became confirmed that he had just used the fancy art of sarcasm which wasn't exactly his area of expertises. Though I wasn't personally in the correct mood right in the moment, I couldn't help but to show a brief sign of getting it anyway, It was hard to stay annoyed at his twinkle eyed face which sometimes popped out to grace my presence. My shoulders sunk into their correct place before saying a word.

"Don't you worry, I'm sure it'll be smooth and steady!" crossing my arms, I came up with a cheeky reminder and left the waitress gawk at our word exchange from the side. The man took few steps before lowering his posture towards our host.

"Off we go then. I bet we have our decision" Gair informed steady and turned on his heels to march towards the direction of the staircase without giving any more options for depate on the mission. Before any of us had stepped after him, me and Delphine exchanged looks before I continued on my way, pushing myself in front of her with a hint more violently than necessary. The return climb was made with haste but after all of us had found their path into upstairs again, the woman stopped us at the doorway in order to speak.

"Before we make the leave, I will have to change my clothing. Meet me outside and we'll be on our way as soon as possible after I'm done" she said, dry as hay and leaving us on our own swiftly made an exit to the public side while walking up to the bartender through the open doorway. In the moment when Gair stepped to the other side into the smoke filled room, I stopped to watch the hustling from under brows when I focused my attention towards the event occurring, as the waitress addressed the man she called Orgnar. Explaining the need for leaving and that the responsibility of the Inn would turn out to be his for now, the blonde one tucked something, perhaps keys outside her pockets.

While I inspected the situation we were about to be in, some sinking part of me felt much more nervous than my assumed condition looked from outside the mask.  
The only true time I had encountered a dragon happened on the way to Ivarstead memory wise and I hadn't exactly thought of it since then at all. Maybe I should've. The returning mind of my own made note from all the things changed after that very moment, which I swore could have gone by a long time ago but no. Right now it all came back to me in a flash of uncertain feelings, making clear that I never felt quite ready to see another one again - the hot flames and the fire burning down the building and the trees.  
It would be a lie if I said that the encounter, as brief as it seemed, never left any doubts or fears snarling away my acquired confidence. Something struck me as the fingers on my other hand twitched for a tingling spike going down the scarred patch of skin on top of the arm, right between the wrist and the elbow.

The scar had become harmless by now. The injury still left behind somewhat pink, fresh looking skin which would change in time as the tissue itself but I could live with it considering the whole thing would be worse if it hadn't been for the potion Gair used on it. Nevertheless, even if the burn was not directly from the beast I couldn't help but to combine those two things, this time us being in the middle of wilderness. Of what kind wasn't certain to me but no people, no villages could mean other kind of challenges and only one other thing I never even started to speak of, something I already hoped not to see for all of ours sake.  
In these seconds I came to question my own thinking about the subject, realizing that by some chance I had started to be afraid more for Gair rather than myself. He was supposed to protect us all but whose going to protect _him_?

The nord wasn't an idiot, I recognized that times and times again but what if you were certain of possible dangers that he couldn't see. And yet I found myself tagging along with the only excuse of being aware. My thoughts pulled me two ways, ripping me apart like they had done once before inside the tomb of Ustengrav. In some way I knew this would be the right way to go now, the way I needed to go in order to avoid possible consequences but in the other hand certain situations reminded me of all the things about to happen. Or were they now that some things started to alter?  
Sometimes I even wished I could've wiped my memory blank so I wouldn't have to struggle between the reality and possibilities, chances or even worse telling the truth that I also felt guilty of not revealing. Of having to occasionally lie. Knowledge is power and power always brings responsibility. Responsibility eventually might start to weight you down, gods know the Dragonborn could tell me all about it.

"You comin' or not?" a short demand shot trough my ears and I snapped out from the moment to see the man already holding the door knob in his hand. He halfway leaned in about to make an impatient exit, floor boards creaking under his weight and frowned at my general direction. I decided to cover up the temporary soul storm inside me with a hint of carefully chosen smile, bowing my head to a deep nod.  
"Sure, just open the door" I said, hoping to reduce the flatness of the speech by other means available to me. While we took our steps once more into the outdoors, the day appeared to be cloudy as it had been the last previous days without changing. They gray blocks of mist hung down low, covering most of the mountain peaks far away and the river running close by the village had reduced to a calm stream.

My gaze hooked up to the lumber mill nearby where few people were working, putting logs in half while the screech of a metal saw startled all the birds out of trees. The giant wheel moved by the ever flowing water produced whatever kind of noises added to the pile but other than that the village seemed to be at ease, only one person here and there doing their business.  
The situation made me realize that whenever this stupid task would be finally over, my personal leather outfit would be in the need of some fixing. It was a long while before I last time checked the parts, some of the surface came to be worn out so the next chance to visit a blacksmith could be very well used. Delphine clearly told us to wait outside, assuming somewhere near but when I heard a lively horse neigh coming from further away from the shelter behind the inn, I took the liberty of taking few steps ahead just for checks. Gair walked with me, equally as much out of things to do in the meantime.

"You're thinking something" he pointed out, watching at me and my careful footing. I returned the favor with much more curious tones.  
"I dare to claim the opposite", I corrected some of the straps while trying not to look too much fidgety. Some seconds back I had decided to try to ignore anything that would pop into my restless brains, trying to run me over.

"I dare to think you're lying. You have that look on your face again" the nord kept insisting, this time with significance which would be hard to ignore but I couldn't avoid hearing the silent question involved within the phrase. My face turned into a one big frown before I answered to his ridiculous observations - or might have been not so ridiculous but there were no ways I could've let him know that.

"Oh? And what look is that?" I asked. Gair mildly gestures at my upper body and spoke while doing so. His mouth corner raised into somewhat cheeky interpretation.  
"The face you are always making when you get lost in your thoughts for reasons that are usually lost from me, but seems serious. And of course the fact that you stop talking for more than five minutes whenever you do that, or I could also mention that you keep discreetly touching your arm..."  
I glared daggers up at him as I separated my hands from fiddling with each other.

"Are you really going t..-"  
" _..And_ that means you are nervous. You worry of the dragon?" Gair added, clearly not caring about my silent protesting. Mentioning I really hate being roasted but I let somewhat aggressive give up sigh fill the air, when placing my both hands of top of a fence that contained the big animals prancing about in their stall. In the air there floated a heavy smell of old horse dung and hay that located in their feeding tracks, while a brown mare with white markings downed her head to the drinking cask. Only one other I saw inside the run down shelter, which reminded me that my experience with horses limited into few tries to ride about ten years ago more or less but I returned to the subject very fast.

"It's not only the dragon I'm worrying about and you know that" I managed to face the man with strictness, reminding myself he had shown rather serious maneuvers while coming out here. None of us could properly manage our ways of being while having around a third party and the things Delphine held behind were just about to shed some light. Gair stepped up to rest his leg onto the wooden plank and his eyes shifted away for a second. He let himself to be an inch more relaxed even if behind his expression there could be a hinge of tensity digging away itself.

"Even if she wouldn't be a thread I got to think it's worth finding out who actually is this woman" the man glanced towards the Inn showing up few blocks away, squinting his eyes with suspicion. "...For what it's worth, after all these tricks and explanations, I need to know the real reason behind all of it. I ain't coming here only for lies and I'd assume she didn't get her hands on the horn for nothing either. I'll have a better judge of that later"

"Beats me.." I murmured while laying my arms against my chest, deciding it was a good place to drop the topic for now. The wait on hand stretched into some minutes going away and all the while hearing the animals going their ways around the yards. The wind blew dry leaves between our feet across the sand and stones covering the village path on my sight.  
After few short moments the entrance door opened further away with the usual creakiness and Delphines refined form appeared to the porch, now dressed completely different than we had seen her before. In fact, the battle armor changed her more than I'd imagine: the leather parts tightly pressed against her body and sword hanging from her hip along with few daggers. Heavily weaponed that one seemed to be. When the woman walked towards us after finding our standing place with casual looking over, I stared at her light hair tied up to a high pony tail, previously worn open and now that the strands were away from her face it revealed her high cheekbones but surprisingly a bit less feminine features.

I had to admit, I wasn't considered the shortest possible version of females by the standards of my own world but now I noticed how Delphine's head stood just a smidge higher than mine.  
"I see you found the horses" the woman addressed obviously wise when she stepped next to the gate nearby. "The chestnut one is called Smére and the stallion right over there has been named Avadrin - tends to be tough headed. They're both in my use for whenever I need so let's get them ready and be on our way immediately" with this sharp remark, she opened the metallic, rusted clasp and by accustomed moves grabbed the loose rope halters of the two mounts. The woman tied them on to a pole, commanding the dark one on his place when the horse threw his head up and tilted back his ears obviously not liking the upcoming events that much.  
These breeds I now examined in front of me were definitely looking like your usual equine in around Skyrim. They were well built with bunch of long hairs covering their muddy hooves around the bottom and had huge defined muscles from the work they often probably did. The stallion, Avadrin had the only difference of being a bit more sleek than the other.

What comes to myself I only stood about during the search for the equipment, a small basket was placed near the fence.

"How much ya know about horses?" Gair suddenly asked after guiding me to the other side, where I calmly ran my hand through the scruffy manes, removing few tangles along the way. My lips parted into unsure grimace while he checked the feet of the animals and gave me a coarse brush to get them clean, so I decided to observed it a while on my hand.  
"In theory or in actual life?" I convinced myself to ask. "Not much in neither of those and less in action but I do have my scarse facts about right" my voice went down when I spoke. The nord hustled over the heads, giving few taps and scratches on the necks while the white marked mare made her best effort on nippling at the fur on his armor. Gair pushed the nose away, grabbing leather reins from where Delphine offered them to him.

"How do you always _read_ about everything but never actually do anything at all?" he chuckled barely audible but looked comfier around the fur creatures than me. We all started working on few minutes, me brushing down the coats, all the while the woman opened a cabined inside the stall to bring out saddles. Sometimes an occasional horse had problems on staying put and I did my best to watch out for the stomping legs.  
"Unfortunately never had the real chance" I thought for a moment on how to continue. "But sure I used to do a lot of other things such as.." I bit my lower lip, watching how the saddle pad appeared on the back of the dark stallion by the females hands on the other side. How should I sound not lazy in Nirn standards?  
" _Eh_ like, let's say such as eating and entertaining myself all day long! Besides that, at least I had a job but it's not much of an use" I saw his mouth corner twinge.

"What is it that you actually do?" some curiosity raised in his voice, blue eyes taking a glimpse at my direction. We happened to have bit of friendly occasion and my steps took me next to him to watch the nord settling more straps but I blinked few times in confusion when he handed me a part of a belt from the saddle. It belonged to the one going on under the horse's body.  
"Pull this up" Gair stated quickly and I did his bidding. I leaned towards the animal with my body force, tightening the grip of my white hands when the dry leather refused to cooperate properly but the work ended fast when the man had adjusted the last metal clip into a right hole. I released the belt and took a deep breath.

"I've been working on something very regular and above all else, boring" I continued the discussion and wiped my palms on my pants. "I employed as a waiter in few places they gracefully feed people. Special culinary for _specially rich_ people, bad income and even worse customers if you catch my meaning" the rest of my sentence fell down into a ominous frustration. "..Also in few occasions I provided random maid services for some extra. I'd say thats that, about the ways I've been wasting my life"

"Maid services?" a low, deep laugh caught up with Gair and his face turned to something mildly mischievous. I judged him on the way. Really hard. Like excuse me, kind of hard. "This just keeps getting better I get, so now you're paid lady as well?" short but noticeable twinkle could have been seen on him while we faced each other and I was ready to drop my jaw the final time.  
"Seriously? No, _not_ that kind of maid!"  
Even if I currently gave up on any extra sass, I did well just pretending to throw him with the horse hair covered brush I had good hold on. This subject had almost recollected itself into occasionally running joke because of the incident in Falkreath and about what the man received way too much credit from himself only. He took turns to act all wacky before waltzing back to finish the reins after Delphine on our left looked ready, according to the one eye I managed to focus on her.

"What a shame, now to think of it" his last word hit the air, humorous but without the previous light heartiness. I pursed my lips in quick disapproval, putting my chest forward while I gave him that significant _oh no you just didn't_ stare. I did plan various ways on taking him though but none of them were compatible options with our current situation.  
"Shall I remind you, that by commonly known standards of normal human beings that doesn't count as a compliment and your limitations for inappropriate jokes are completely non existent!"

"But I wasn't joking" he stated after feeding the bits into the horses mouth.  
"Well that makes it tremendously better!"

The stallion tried to stick his tongue out couple times, doing some up and down throws with his head. Right there what came to my own head, I had a huge palm growing on it for few seconds but for not wasting anymore time I started to put my mind on other things. The both horses were now saddled and reined in no more than perhaps ten, fifteen minutes. Delphine had been around us the whole time but somehow I gladly ignored her presence for tiny amount it was indeed possible, only one doubt crossing my mind now. There was a chance I shouldn't have done what I did and puzzled by this, I darted my gaze at her, seeing the woman standing near the fence and the poles our mounts had been tied to.

"So where are you from anyway?" Delphine's voice came up as she stepped out, starting to untie the knots in order to get the horses out of the pen. Her armor pieces rustled when she moved her arms.  
To say the truth I didn't expect her to talk exactly now but by hearing that pitched tone, I had been completely ripped out from the previous moment. A piece of my heart sunk as she blabbered out her question, for because I knew this lady would never ask anything that doesn't interest her. I had said too much without thinking, been too careless and I could feel the imaginary chill coming at me and raising suspicions which I would have hoped to avoid.  
"I see it rather odd for not knowing anything about, well..rather common animals. Aren't they?"

I felt my facial expression slowly turning towards the more bitter mood but avoiding the walking four legged transportation machines, I led my way past the waitress. She stared back at me with softer eyes which were still lined with barely noticeable circles. Someone could guess she did use a lot of her time worrying and plotting even if my interest towards the said persons life style wasn't the biggest. I opened my mouth to speak before my throat would tense too much.  
"I'm not from here. Not anywhere nearby" I said and shifted my weight as my look downwards. "It's not important"

The womans head did a small tilt onto her right side and she took a breath in order to speak again but without having time to say anything as we were interrupted.  
"Shall we go?" Gair quickly came in grabbing the reins of the other horse and took slightly impatient effect on his words. "I believe we were in a hurry" Delphine closed her parted lips and granted me a smile, one that didn't reach her stormy eyes. It was only a shallow copy of actual happiness and instead of that reflected something else lurking behind her face.

"Yes, Of course" she stated articulating far more individually than she should've and adjusted her sword belt before circling around the horse standing. The woman pulled herself onto the saddle with little effort and started holding back her mount from moving although she did take some short steps. Besides the circumstances being somewhat cold between us, I didn't have much time to think about it any deeper when I met looks with the man who I assumed knew the source of previous uncomfortable discussion.  
I flashed him a face that put together every thankful expressions human could possibly have, since the nord had definitely saved me from a tight spot. He answered to me kindly nodding and soon started the same acts as the previous person before mounting the animal, only his version was a tad more restless.

For some reason it now occurred to my mind from clear blue sky, that since we had only two horses I'd be definitely going with Gair and this fact brought up unnecessary and also very unexpected butterflies in my stomach, which I tried beating to death with all my might. It also confused me, removing all the attention from the more important things at hand and the sudden stroke of these unsure feelings made me significantly furrow my brows at the animal - Girl, this is a serious situation and now you're acting all weird because of one ride.  
My personal defense argument against this note was that no one from here would think it weird but from my perspective if two persons ride a horse that means you gotta sit pretty close. Don't you? I mean that's fine of course. I mean fine in a normal way. People are touching each other everyday right? _God dammit,_ now that came out all wrong, the heck am I doing? Stop. Just _stop_.

Gair had gotten himself into a position up on the horse and I had to admit it kind of suited him in a strange way. Now me being the last one left, I walked up to him after Avadrin spun around, chewing his bites.  
"Ready?" the nord asked and offered me his hand in order to help me climb to the seat. He tightened his grip from the reins when I placed my left foot on on the stirrup and took hold of him in order to be helped up. The whole process took couple wavy seconds when I was about to lose my balance as I threw my leg over the horse but managed to lay my ass down near the saddle edge. My instincts kicked in with a faint _woah_ jumping out from my mouth and I wrapped my arms around Gairs waist without thinking much about it but my lack of self confidence around the subject on riding a horse did almost please him. No idea why. Delphine little cared for anything other than moving forward so I heard how Smére walked forward on the road where the shoed hooves tapped against stones.

"I have to say, you do have very easily distracted mind" Gair said after the woman was out of hearing range, where I also wondered why we didn't move yet. At first his words made me even more confused than I already was with stuff going on but then an idea came to me and I looked at him with some wonder out of place.  
"Stop being sneaky around me!" I snorted out and squeezed a bit harder around his abdomen just for revenge and although I went through great effort on hiding it, all of the subject flushed down my stomach, just the realization of his intent. The man adjusted few kicks to the sides of the horse, who gladly started walking after his friend neighing in the distance.

"Just forget the dragon for a little while longer so I don't have to ride with another dark and gloomy female, there's more than enough of that sorts" his quirky phrase got us both chuckling and I casually observed the direction I had seen our host going but I didn't have time to say much more about it. "Hold on, we have a distance to catch" he continued uttering fast before the mount bolted forward, leaving me a job to resist the short g-force and speck of dry sand flying into the air.

* * *

The trip towards the old fort finally begun by having us ride following the river and then turned into a road leading through hills and patches of soft ground with nothing more visible than your usual land all around. Riverwood was fast left behind when we reached Delphine once more along the way so I left the extra talking from my to do list unless it was something important: trying not to jump up in the back of an horse turned out to be task enough for me. At least for now.  
According to the woman if we kept our speed fast we'd reach the mound within an hour or a bit less, only scarcely passing by the actual Helgen. I supposed Gair wouldn't be much excited to see the place again but I found myself curious of sorts, if nothing else but at least the looks of it.

An hour felt like a long time to hold on there but in fact I started to really like having the horses and my understanding of a long time wasn't the same anymore. All up until now I had moved only by walking very long distances and with all the places we covered by feet I had completely forgotten that this possibly wasn't the only way to move. My legs weren't used to be not in use anymore but staying on the horse forced me to use my bodily muscles anyway, for having some kind of grip on myself.

All this plan took now, would be only arriving to the scene without knowing what exactly waited for us there and that showed up to be the thing worrying me the most, even having Gair telling me not to. I didn't want to be one spreading melancholy here but I wasn't convinced if the word _worry_ would be the correct one anymore when some parts of me were nearly terrified. It never turned out to be only for Delphine that I wanted to stop him from going there, of course it had been my main reason until one of the last discussions had happened inside the secret quarters, I never doubted Gair could handle one dragon but what about two? Especially when...well that remains to be seen. There could be a good chance of _not happening_. Maybe. I buried the thought away focusing my mind onto other things.

Along the way some colder gusts of wind pinched at my cheeks and nearly all of the leaves had fallen out from the trees by these days. Dead carpet of dying plants and bare trunks and bushes covered the vegetation of the land and the only things still green were the tall pine trees, darkened by color. I had noticed many times how the days quickly turned short and darkness covered the skies faster than usual. Today it seemed to come even faster while our group traveled towards the unnamed place but it might have been my own imagination affecting in the case or perhaps by any chance Delphines presence was enough to bring the shadows forward.

However with the war maiden around, the company had fallen below decent and I certainly hoped that whatever task we were about to do could be going according to my words before, smooth and steady. Then why I had this ill feeling in my neck that something had to go wrong sooner or later?


End file.
